NASA Rover Finds Evidence of Liquid Water ‘Ripples’ on Mars Rock

NASA Curiosity rover has uncovered a significant discovery that may alter our perception of Mars’ history. The rover has found the most conclusive proof yet that liquid water previously existed on the Martian surface when it discovered symmetrical wave ripples in old lake deposits at Gale Crater. In contrast to earlier notions that the planet was mainly cold and arid, this discovery implies that early Mars had temperature conditions warm enough to support lakes free of ice.

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured the images of the patterns, which are called wave ripples. Wave ripples are tiny ridge-like formations that grow along lakebed beaches. Thus, at some time in Mars’ past, exposed liquid water had to have flowed across the planet’s surface. Two different lakebeds at Gale Crater had the ripples.

These ripples were found by scientists in two places in the Mirador Formation: inside a sandstone lens of the Contigo Member and at the base of the Amapari Member.

Both sets of ripples were clearly formed by wind-driven waves carrying silt over the lake floor since they had a consistent wavelength of about 4.5 centimeters (1.7 inches).

The lakes where these waves originated were probably little deeper than 2 meters (6.5 feet), the study concluded. This implies that there were standing liquid water bodies on Mars that were exposed to the atmosphere, which was previously believed to be highly uncommon in the planet’s early history.

An area that was formerly covered in wind-blown dunes is home to one of the sets of ripples known as the Prow outcrop. The other set was discovered close by in the Amapari Marker Band of rocks, which is rich in sulfates.

Mars paleoclimate research that has attempted to record the planet’s evolving circumstances has greatly benefited from the discovery.This most recent finding has provided an intriguing window into the early circumstances on Mars.