Эрдэмтэд NASA-гийн Spirit хөлгийн хорин жилийн өмнөх судалгааны мэдээллийг шинэ аргачлалаар шинжилж, Ангараг гарагт усны нөлөөлөл өргөн хүрээнд байсныг тогтоов.
Австралийн Эдит Коуэн их сургуулийн профессор Пауло де Соуза тэргүүтэй судлаачид NASA-гийн Spirit хөлгийн Gusev тогоонд цуглуулсан хөрс, чулуулгийн мэдээлэлд шинэчилсэн дүн шинжилгээ хийжээ. Анхны хэмжилтүүд нь тухайн үед маш бага хэмжээтэй эрдсийг нарийвчлан тогтооход хангалтгүй байсан бол өгөгдлүүдийг нэгтгэн шинэ аргачлалаар судалснаар усны үйлчлэлтэй холбоотой эрдсүүд илэрсэн байна.
Судалгаагаар Ангарагийн хөрснөөс талст гематит болон өөрчлөгдсөн магнетит эрдсүүдийг илрүүлжээ. Эдгээр эрдэс нь ихэвчлэн чулуулаг шингэн устай харилцан үйлчлэх үед үүсдэг тул урт хугацааны туршид Ангарагийн гадаргуу дээр усны үйл ажиллагаа явагдаж байсныг илтгэж байна.
Энэхүү олдвор нь сансрын хөлгийн хуучин архивын мэдээллийг орчин үеийн шинжилгээний аргаар дахин судалснаар шинжлэх ухааны томоохон нээлт хийх боломжтойг харууллаа. Судлаачид цаашид NASA-гийн Opportunity хөлгийн цуглуулсан мэдээлэлд ижил төстэй дүн шинжилгээ хийж, усны нөлөөллийн ул мөрийг илүү өргөн хүрээнд судлахаар төлөвлөж байна.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
NASA’s Spirit rover did not uncover a new water deposit on Mars. Instead, a new analysis of two-decade-old measurements has revealed that signs of water-related minerals were already hidden in the rover’s data, suggesting that ancient Mars may have experienced water activity across a much larger area than previously recognized.
The discovery comes from Gusev Crater, where Spirit spent years analyzing Martian soil, rocks, and dust with its Mössbauer Spectrometer. The instrument identified the mineral composition of samples, but many individual measurements were not detailed enough to detect minerals present in very small quantities.
Researchers later combined those measurements to search for broader patterns. Paolo de Souza of Edith Cowan University in Australia found evidence of hematite and altered magnetite, two minerals associated with interactions between rocks and water.
The findings do not come from a new mission or a new instrument. They come from a different way of reading existing rover observations, showing that small signals can reveal a much larger record of Mars’ past when examined together.
A Water Clue Hidden in Martian Soil
The study, conducted by Edith Cowan University (ECU) researcher Professor Paulo de Souza, examined material from 32 undisturbed soil sites inside Gusev Crater, producing the most detailed iron-mineral profile of Martian soil to date.
The analysis identified crystalline hematite in ordinary Martian soil, a result that surprised scientists because earlier measurements had not shown the mineral in significant amounts at those locations.
Hematite is an iron oxide that often forms when rocks interact with liquid water. It can also develop in volcanic environments, but researchers studying Mars have linked many hematite deposits to ancient interactions between water and surface materials.
De Souza said the discovery of crystalline hematite in common Martian soil indicates that water-related processes may have affected significant areas of the planet. The mineral is also linked to the hematite-rich “blueberries” discovered by NASA’s Opportunity rover at Meridiani Planum, where scientists found evidence of past interactions between water and rock.
The paper also examined altered magnetite, another iron-bearing mineral found on Mars. Magnetite can form in volcanic rocks as well as sedimentary environments, and its presence provides additional evidence that rocks and water interacted in Mars’ past.
The Mars Signal Hidden in Rover Data
The key change came from combining data rather than examining each measurement separately. When Spirit collected its observations, many measurements were not detailed enough to identify minerals present in very small quantities.
“Many measurements were not detailed enough on their own to identify minerals present in very small quantities. By bringing the data together and analysing it in a new way, we were able to reveal information that had been hidden for years.”
The research took into account several factors that could influence the results, including temperature conditions, differences between soil regions, physical and chemical weathering, and the long-term effects of Martian dust storms. The study shows how rover archives can continue producing scientific discoveries long after a mission has ended. In this case, the evidence was not absent from the data; it was difficult to recognize when individual measurements were viewed separately.
The mineral traces were found in dust layers studied by Spirit. Researchers believe these layers formed over millions of years through processes including wind erosion, temperature changes, and storms that moved dust across the Martian surface.
A Mars Discovery Method Gets a New Test
The next stage of the research will focus on another major Mars dataset. De Souza plans to apply the same analytical approach to measurements collected by NASA’s Opportunity at Meridiani Planum. Scientists will examine hundreds of measurements from the region explored by the rover to determine whether combining smaller observations can reveal additional patterns about water-related minerals.
He also noted that the findings demonstrate the need for future Mars missions equipped with advanced spectrometers capable of carrying out longer-term mineral studies of Martian soil. Also, this new research changes how scientists interpret old rover observations.
“This work shows that important discoveries are not always made by collecting new data,” he added. “Sometimes they come from looking at existing data with fresh eyes and better analytical techniques.”
Enjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news.
