Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUGround-penetrating radar reveals eons of environmental changes, offers hope that soil samples hold traces of life.Ground-penetrating radar onboard NASAs Mars Perseverance rover has confirmed that the Jezero crater, formed by an ancient meteor impact just north of the Martian equator, when harbored a huge lake and river delta.Over eons, sediment deposition and disintegration within the crater formed the geologic formations noticeable on the surface area today.The discovery of lake sediments reinforces the hope that traces of life might be discovered in soil and rock samples gathered by Perseverance.Animation showing the RIMFAX instrument on NASAs Mars Perseverance rover obtaining ground-penetrating radar measurements throughout the contact in between the crater floor and the delta in Jezero crater, Mars. Credit: Euibin Kim, David Paige, UCLAIf life ever existed on Mars, the Perseverance rovers verification of lake sediments at the base of the Jezero crater reinforces the hope that traces might be found in the crater.In brand-new research published in the journal Science Advances, a team led by UCLA and The University of Oslo reveals that at some point, the crater filled with water, depositing layers of sediments on the crater floor. Determinations soil and rock samples will be brought back to Earth by a future expedition and studied for proof of previous life.Between May and December 2022, Perseverance drove from the crater floor onto the delta, a huge stretch of 3 billion-year-old sediments that, from orbit, looks like the river deltas on Earth.Mars Perseverance Rover RIMFAX ground permeating radar measurements of the Hawksbill Gap region of the Jezero Crater Western Delta, Mars.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUGround-penetrating radar reveals eons of environmental changes, uses hope that soil samples hold traces of life.Ground-penetrating radar onboard NASAs Mars Perseverance rover has actually validated that the Jezero crater, formed by an ancient meteor effect just north of the Martian equator, when harbored a huge lake and river delta.Over eons, sediment deposition and erosion within the crater shaped the geologic developments visible on the surface area today.The discovery of lake sediments enhances the hope that traces of life may be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance.Animation showing the RIMFAX instrument on NASAs Mars Perseverance rover acquiring ground-penetrating radar measurements throughout the contact between the crater flooring and the delta in Jezero crater, Mars. Credit: Euibin Kim, David Paige, UCLAIf life ever existed on Mars, the Perseverance rovers verification of lake sediments at the base of the Jezero crater enhances the hope that traces might be found in the crater.In new research study released in the journal Science Advances, a team led by UCLA and The University of Oslo reveals that at some point, the crater filled with water, transferring layers of sediments on the crater flooring. As the lake dissipated over time, the sediments in the crater were deteriorated, forming the geologic functions visible on the surface today.Mars Perseverance Rover RIMFAX ground penetrating radar measurements of the Hawksbill Gap area of the Jezero Crater Western Delta, Mars. Determinations soil and rock samples will be brought back to Earth by a future exploration and studied for proof of previous life.Between May and December 2022, Perseverance drove from the crater flooring onto the delta, a large stretch of 3 billion-year-old sediments that, from orbit, looks like the river deltas on Earth.Mars Perseverance Rover RIMFAX ground permeating radar measurements of the Hawksbill Gap region of the Jezero Crater Western Delta, Mars.