Mars once had ‘right conditions’ for life: New discoveries from Curiosity rover

Recent discoveries from NASA's Curiosity rover, coupled with sedimentary rock scans from Earth's Gulf of Mexico and computer simulations, have revealed remnants of ancient rivers within several craters on Mars.

Analyzing data collected by the Curiosity rover at Gale crater, researchers have unearthed compelling evidence of a once-flowing river network on the Martian surface, possibly more extensive than previously assumed. Geoscientist Benjamin Cardenas of Penn State University, the lead author of the study, emphasized, "We're finding evidence that Mars was likely a planet of rivers."

Rivers on Earth play a crucial role in sustaining chemical, nutrient, and sediment cycles that support life. The identification of former Martian river systems could thus mark a significant step forward in the quest for signs of life on the Red Planet.

Cardenas added, " Our research indicates that Mars could have had far more rivers than previously believed, which certainly paints a more optimistic view of ancient life on Mars."

The identified landforms, known as bench-and-nose features, were located within several small craters but were not initially recognized as water-formed deposits.

Knowledge of Martian rivers dates back to the first Mars orbiter, Mariner 9, which captured images of desiccated river channels and floodplains on the planet's surface. Further evidence of water has been uncovered by Mars rovers, such as the presence of sulfur-containing compounds like jarosite, which typically form in watery environments. Additionally, ridges created by sediment deposits in ancient river channels have been identified by rovers and orbiters.

The recognition of the bench-and-nose landforms implies a more widespread river system than previously thought. These landforms consist of alternating steep slopes, shallow benches, and shortened ridges known as "noses," formed when sediment deposited by rivers erodes in a specific direction, possibly influenced by prevailing winds.

Cardenas and Kaitlyn Stacey of Penn State utilized Curiosity's images of bench-and-nose landforms within craters and 3D scans of sedimentary layers on the Gulf of Mexico seafloor, obtained by oil companies 25 years ago, to train their computer model. The model successfully simulated the erosion process shaping the Martian landforms.

Previous observations by Curiosity had confirmed the presence of liquid water within Gale crater, which the rover is currently investigating. The newly discovered river-formed landforms shed light on the structure of the water body within Gale crater.

The study has been published in Geophysical Research Letters.