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Chinese Explorer Finds Signs of Recent Water on Mars

 Chinese Explorer Finds Signs of Recent Water on Mars

A new study suggests water may have existed on Mars much more recently than past evidence has shown. 

The research is based on data collected by China’s Zhurong explorer vehicle. The explorer, or rover, arrived on the planet in 2021. 

Evidence of surface water was found in warmer areas of Mars that might have been fertile enough to support conditions for life, the researchers said. A study reporting the results was recently published in Science Advances. 

 A scientific team from China’s Institute of Geology and Geophysics led the research. The institute is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

Today, Mars has a cold, desert climate. But past studies have provided evidence that ancient Mars had large amounts of water. This is believed to have included rivers, lakes and oceans. A 2015 study by the American space agency NASA suggested that 4.3 billion years ago, Mars likely had an ocean covering nearly half of the planet’s northern hemisphere. 

There are different theories for what caused large amounts of water to disappear from Mars. The most likely explanation is that the liquid escaped when the planet’s atmosphere thinned over time, NASA explains. This let the water evaporate, turning the Martian surface into a frozen desert. The space agency estimates the evaporation happened about 3 billion years ago. 

In the new study, researchers said the Chinese rover observed salt-rich sand dunes on the surface. The dunes contained breaks, crusts and small hills. The team said these landforms provide evidence that land had frozen and then melted in the areas studied. The melting could have happened as recently as a few hundred thousand years ago, the study said. 

The rover’s observations were made in an area called Utopia Planitia, a large flat area, called a plain, in Mars’s northern hemisphere. The researchers said they believe the dunes were likely formed sometime after 1.4 million to 400,000 years ago, possibly even more recently. Conditions during that period were likely similar to how things are on Mars today. 

Xiaoguang Qin is with the Institute of Geology and Geophysics and was a co-writer of the study. He told The Associated Press (AP), "We think it could be a small amount...no more than a film of water on the surface".

The rover did not directly observe water in the form of frost or ice. But Qin said computer modeling and observations by other spacecraft on Mars suggest that even today, at some times of the year, conditions could be right for water to appear. 

Planetary scientist Frederic Schmidt is with the University of Paris-Saclay. He was not part of the study. But he said he finds the results notable because they demonstrate how young the dunes are. “This is clearly a new piece of science” for the area, Schmidt told the AP. 

The researchers said they believe small openings filled with salty water were created by melting frost or snow. This likely resulted in the small cracks, hard crusty material and other surface changes observed by the rover. The team ruled out wind as a cause, as well as frost made of carbon dioxide, which makes up most of the Martian atmosphere. 

The rover has now provided “evidence that there may be a wider distribution of this process on Mars than previously identified,” said Mary Bourke. She is an expert in Mars geology at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. She added that although the evidence suggests small amounts of water, it could still be important in identifying environments that could support life. 

The findings were reported days after China confirmed its Zhurong rover has yet to wake up since going into hibernation for the Martian winter nearly a year ago. Chinese space officials have said the rover’s solar equipment is likely covered with dust, blocking the sun and cutting power to the explorer. 

Before it went silent, Zhurong had explored the Martian surface for 358 days and traveled 1,921 meters, space officials said. This was far longer than the rover’s planned three-month operation, officials added.

I’m Bryan Lynn. 

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Science Advances.

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Quiz - Chinese Explorer Finds Signs of Recent Water on Mars

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Words in This Story

evaporate – v. when liquid changes from a solid state into a gas or vapor

dune – n. a hill of sand

crust – n. a hard, dry layer on the surface of something

frost – n. a thin, white layer of ice that forms on surfaces, especially at night when it is cold

distribute – v. to give something out to people or places

hibernate – v. to go into a sleeping state for a period of time

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Plant a Tree That Will Last for Many Years

 Plant a Tree That Will Last for Many Years (voanews.com)

This image provided by Bugwood.org shows a street lined with sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum), the state trees of West Virginia. (John Ruter/University of Georgia/Bugwood.org via AP)

This time of year, in the U.S., many people are thinking about their gardens and getting their land ready for warmer weather.

Some people are thinking about planting flowers. Others want to plant trees.

For those who love trees, there is a national day for tree planting, called Arbor Day. Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday in April. However, some states pick their own Arbor Day depending on their climate. The aim is to have the observance on the best day of the year to plant a tree.

When thinking about trees, remember that they will usually live many years longer than the people who plant them.

One gardening expert who spoke to the Associated Press says it is important to make good choices today if you are considering planting trees for tomorrow.

Daniel Herms is an insect expert who centers his research on how trees respond to stress. He works for Davey Tree Expert Co., a landscaping business in the Midwestern state of Ohio. The company creates and cares for gardens, lawns and properties.

“Things are changing faster than the lifespan of trees,” he said.

That means the weather and the kinds of insects that live in an area today – may be different in 20 or 30 years. However, many trees can live for 50 years or more.

That means people who plant trees today have to think about the results of their choices tomorrow.

Herms said some trees will thrive and some will not over the next 20 or 30 years “depending on the traits that make them adapt to the changing climate.”

So, how do you choose a good tree?

One way to do it might be to choose the “state” tree where you live. However, Herms said, some state trees no longer thrive in their own states.

This image provided by Bugwood.org shows a group of coastal redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens), one of two species designated as state trees of California. (Brian Lockhart/USDA Forest Service/Bugwood.org via AP)

For example, the state trees of California are the very large redwoods and sequoias. They are two of the largest and tallest trees in the world.

However, the trees grew that way along the Northern California coast because of the moisture in the air that comes from the ocean. The wet air is called fog. Herms said there is less fog along the coast of California because of climate change. In the future, the sequoias and redwoods may not grow as well, he warned.

Other state trees are in the same situation. Herms said they could do well in other places, but they are not certain to live long lives in their “home” states. They include the blue spruce of Colorado, the Western white pine of Idaho, the Eastern white pine of Maine and West Virginia’s sugar maple.

But if you have a tree growing on your land that is now vulnerable, Herms said it is not necessary to remove it. You just have to take care of it.

A flowering tree in a park in Nebraska, the state where Arbor Day got its start over 100 years ago. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

“In most cases, it can continue to grow…with a proactive healthcare program,” Herms said. Proactive means making sure conditions are good for the growth and health of the tree. That includes giving the tree proper water if it is drier where you live today than when you planted the tree. In addition, you can add nutrients to the soil to make sure the tree stays healthy. A trained arborist – a person who knows how to care for trees – can help.

People are concerned about keeping trees healthy not only because they look good when they grow. Trees produce oxygen, they provide shade and cooling during hot weather, and they reduce water runoff. Runoff is water that comes during storms that is not absorbed into the ground.

Herms said that trees also trap carbon, “so they can contribute to climate goals.” In fact, trees need carbon dioxide to grow.

Even if you do not live in the U.S., you can still join in celebrating trees. If you are thinking of planting a tree this year, Herms suggests choosing a tree that will do well even if your area gets a little bit warmer as the tree grows. Check with a local college or university if you need some help finding this information. If your city has an arboretum, a place that grows and cares for trees, there is likely someone there who can help.

Here is some basic information about planting trees. First, dig a hole as deep and twice as large as the tree’s root ball. Then add a generous amount of compost as extra material into the soil as you fill the hole. Water the tree for at least its first three years. Herms said young trees need at least 2.5 centimeters of water each week. That can come from rain or extra water you provide.

I’m Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by Jessica Damiano of the Associated Press.

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Words in This Story

stress –n. a state of tension or difficulty

thrive –v. to live well

trait –n. a quality that something has which makes it different from other things

adapt –v. to change to deal with new conditions or pressures

moisture –n. the amount of water present in something

vulnerable –adj. in danger of being hurt or damaged

absorb –v. to take in a liquid, such as water

root –n. the part of a plant or tree that is below the ground and that takes in nutrients from the soil

compost –n. organic material used to enrich soil and cover the ground for growing plants

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