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New research suggests that Mars began to rust much earlier than previously thought, back when liquid water existed on its surface. Analysis of data from interplanetary missions and laboratory experiments has shown that the planet's red color is not due to hematite, as previously thought, but to another type of iron oxide, ferrihydrite, which requires water to form.
A team led by Adomas Valentinas of Brown University created an artificial analogue of Martian dust in the laboratory by mixing ferrihydrite with volcanic basalt. The results of their experiment most closely matched data from ESA and NASA orbiters, confirming that Mars acquired its red hue when conditions were favorable for the existence of water.
Ferrihydrite, unlike hematite, retains traces of water even after billions of years. This discovery changes our understanding of the evolution of Mars and its climate history, as it was previously thought that the oxidation process occurred much later, after the planet lost its water.
The study is based on data from the Mars Express, Trace Gas Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. New missions, such as Rosalind Franklin and Mars Sample Return, should confirm these findings and help determine the exact amount of ferrihydrite in Martian soil.
The results open up new possibilities for searching for traces of past life on Mars. If ferrihydrite formed in the presence of water, it is likely that conditions suitable for microbial life could have existed on the Red Planet at that time.
New research suggests that Mars began to rust much earlier than previously thought, back when liquid water existed on its surface. Analysis of data from interplanetary missions and laboratory experiments has shown that the planet's red color is not due to hematite, as previously thought, but to another type of iron oxide, ferrihydrite, which requires water to form.
A team led by Adomas Valentinas of Brown University created an artificial analogue of Martian dust in the laboratory by mixing ferrihydrite with volcanic basalt. The results of their experiment most closely matched data from ESA and NASA orbiters, confirming that Mars acquired its red hue when conditions were favorable for the existence of water.
Ferrihydrite, unlike hematite, retains traces of water even after billions of years. This discovery changes our understanding of the evolution of Mars and its climate history, as it was previously thought that the oxidation process occurred much later, after the planet lost its water.
The study is based on data from the Mars Express, Trace Gas Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. New missions, such as Rosalind Franklin and Mars Sample Return, should confirm these findings and help determine the exact amount of ferrihydrite in Martian soil.
The results open up new possibilities for searching for traces of past life on Mars. If ferrihydrite formed in the presence of water, it is likely that conditions suitable for microbial life could have existed on the Red Planet at that time.
