Images from NASA's Mars Perseverance rover show evidence of ancient deep rivers

UPI ^ | MAY 11, 2023 / 2:34 PM | By Patrick Hilsman

[Red Badger]

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover transmitted this image of a geological formation on the planet's surface known as "Shrinkle Haven" to scientists. Researchers believe the structures in the image are evidence that ancient rivers flowed much faster and deeper than previously believed. Photo courtesy of NASA

A second composite image shows a hill known as "Pinestand" to scientists along with a series of ripples that are believed to have been created by flowing water. Photo courtesy of NASA

In addition to observing the Martian surface, Perseverance is equipped with the Radar Imager for Mars Subsurface Experiment ground-penetrating radar system which can observe structures below the planet's surface. Photo courtesy of NASA

May 11 (UPI) -- Images transmitted to Earth from NASA's Perseverance rover may show evidence that ancient rivers that once flowed over the planet ran much deeper, and flowed much faster, than researchers previously thought.

A composite image was created by piecing together hundreds of images taken with Perseverance's Mastcam-Z instrument.

For two years, Perseverance has been researching in the area of the Jezero crater, which is home to a rippled area known to scientists as "the curvilinear unit," which is believed to have once been the location of a series of waterways.

The "curvilinear unit" was previous observed from orbit, but Perseverance has given researchers an opportunity to observe the area more closely.

The image was taken on a geological structure within the curvilinear unit known as "Shrinkle Haven" to researchers.

A second composite image, taken about a quarter mile from "Shrinkle Haven" shows a hill dubbed "Pinestand" by scientists, along with a series of ripples in the foreground.

The scientific consensus is that the ripples at "Shrinkle Haven" and "Pinestand" were created by water, but there is uncertainty over how substantial the water flow was.

"We do see deposits like this on Earth, but they're never as well exposed as they are here on Mars. Earth is covered in vegetation that covers these layers," said Michael Lamb, a river specialist who works with the Perseverance science team.

The ripples in the image are also believed to have been worn down by wind over millions of years.

"The wind has acted like a scalpel that has cut the tops off these deposits," said Lamb.

"Those indicate a high-energy river that's truckin' and carrying a lot of debris. The more powerful flow of water, the more easily its able to move larger pieces of material," said Libby Ives, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which operates the Perseverance rover.

In addition to observing geographical formations on the surface of Mars, Perseverance is equipped with a ground-penetrating radar system, the Rader Imager for Mars' Subsurface Experiment, that can observe geographical formations below the planet's surface.

Future NASA missions will collect samples that have been gathered by Perseverance and return them to Earth.

[Red Badger]

Rivers on Mars Ping!....................

[9422WMR]

And there’s still nothing there to support human life.
Gee look at that! That would be a grand place to send a few woke astronauts to die…..

[Red Badger]

And there’s still nothing there to support human life.

Kinda like Democrat-run cities!.....................

[sit-rep]

Btt!!

[GaltAdonis]

Marvin the Martian swim trunks.
Order yours now, before they are all gone!

[2nd Amendment]

I told you! I told you! Man-caused climate change is destroying Mars!

[Bob434]

suv’s aND lawnmowers musta dried em all up

[Red Badger]

And Gas ranges...............................

[Ezekiel]

What happened to all of the water?

Is Mars an ancient object lesson like that meme about the Sahara?

“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there’d be a shortage of sand.”

~ Milton Friedman

[kabar]

Buried lakes of liquid water discovered on Mars

Three new underground lakes have been detected near the south pole of Mars.

Scientists also confirmed the existence of a fourth lake - the presence of which was hinted at in 2018.

Liquid water is vital for biology, so the finding will be of interest to researchers studying the potential for life elsewhere in the Solar System.

But the lakes are also thought to be extremely salty, which could pose challenges to the survival of any microbial life forms.

Billions of years ago, water flowed in rivers and pooled in lakes on the Martian surface. But Mars has since lost much of its atmosphere, which means water can't stay liquid for long on the surface today.

However, it's a different matter underground.

Referring to the sub-surface lakes, co-author Dr Roberto Orosei, from Italy's National Institute of Astrophysics in Bologna, told BBC News: "It's even more likely that these bodies of water existed in the past.

"Of course, the implication of this is that you would have a habitat or something that resembles a habitat... that lasted throughout the history of the planet,"

"As Mars was undergoing its climatic catastrophe and turning from a relatively warm planet - though it's not clear how warm - to a frozen waste, there was a place where life could adapt and survive."

The latest discovery was made using data from a radar instrument on the European Space Agency's (Esa) Mars Express spacecraft, which has been orbiting the Red Planet since December 2003.

[Red Badger]

What happened to all of the water?

Sand Trout....................

[BigFreakinToad]

I’m ready to go so I can get off this rock full of crazies.

[gleeaikin]

Is there any rough figure on when the last time was that surface water existed?

[Bob434]

lol dang forgot those evil ranges

[SunkenCiv]

From that angle, it looks like it lies on the outer edge of an asteroid impact. :^) Thanks Red Badger. Hmm. Looks like the Mars keyword has almost 3000 topics. Ouch.

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join or quit view topics view or post blog bookmark post new topic subscribe

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Selections from the keyword, sorted, grouped:

• Red Planet Impact: Huge Moons May Have Crashed Into Mars [07/04/2016]
• Here's a Fresh, Never Before Seen Impact Crater on Mars [01/09/2015]
• A Spectacular New Martian Impact Crater [02/15/2014]
• Did A Giant Impact Create The Two Faces Of Mars? [03/15/2007]
• New Theory: Catastrophe Created Mars' Moons [07/29/2003]

  ---

• Black Scientist: Push to Colonize Mars is Racist [04/17/2015]
• Who discovered Mars, anyway? A look back at the history of the Red Planet [07/31/2018]
• China's first Mars mission delayed [10/01/2009]
• China to explore Mars with Russia this year [01/02/2011]
• Russia's Dark Horse Plan to Get to Mars [05/23/2009]
• Russia Plans 500-Day Mock Mars Mission [10/11/2004]

  ---

• New York Times Publishes Then Deletes Article Claiming Watermelons Were Found on Mars [06/09/2021]
• NASA denies there are living 'insect- and reptile-like creatures' on Mars [11/21/2019]
• ...UFO hunters spot 'ancient alien face, skulls and primitive carvings' in Nasa's latest Mars photo [03/29/2019]
• Scientist Says He's Found Fossilized Alien Footprints On Mars, Blames NASA For Cover-up [03/06/2018]
• Is this an alien spaceship on Mars or NASA debris?Curiosity spots mystery object on red planet [06/28/2017]
• Alien Screw Structure on Mars? [02/02/2016]
• Crab-like 'alien facehugger' in a cave is spotted on Mars (tr) [08/06/2015]
• 'Alien skull' spotted on Mars [05/02/2009]
• "Alien Egg" Found on Mars? [02/26/2004]
• NASA Scientist Sees Possible Mat of Martian Microbes [08/09/2004]
• Fossils on Mars? (Vanity) [03/07/2004]
• Sensation: Cities Found on the Moon! [10/08/2002]

[SunkenCiv]

Water/ice selections from the keyword, sorted:

• Astronomers Detect Secret Water Reserves in The Largest Canyon in The Solar System [12/16/2021]
• Mars rover's first rock samples reveal lengthy water exposure [09/11/2021]
• New Science Indicates Mars' Water Didn't Escape to Space -- It's Trapped in the Red Planet's Crust [03/19/2021]
• Mars on Earth: Turkish Lake May Hold Clues to Ancient Life on the Red Planet [03/10/2021]
• Did Arthur C. Clarke call it right? Water spotted in Moon's sunlit Clavius crater by NASA telescope [10/27/2020]
• Buried lakes of liquid water discovered on Mars [09/29/2020]
• Salty lake, ponds may be gurgling beneath Mars' South Pole [09/29/2020]
• Water on Mars: discovery of three buried lakes intrigues scientists [09/28/2020]
• New Findings Throw Cold Water on Ancient Mars Hypothesis [08/03/2020]
• Forums L2 Sign Up SLS/Orion SpaceX Commercial ISS International Other For Mars colonization, new water map may hold key of where to land [12/12/2019]
• Nobody knows what's creating oxygen on Mars [11/14/2019]
• Vivid images reveal an ancient, dried-up river system on Mars that stretches 435 MILES [10/17/2019]
• Cause of mysterious methane spikes on Mars still unknown [08/14/2019]
• Colonizing Mars: What To Do If There Is Life In The Ground Water (9min video w/ Dr. Robert Zubrin) [09/07/2018]
• Nasa Opportunity rover still lost on Mars as dust storm which engulfed the Red Planet begins... [08/15/2018]
• Mars shocker: Liquid water lake found on the Red Planet [07/25/2018]
• "Curiosity and more clues of past surface water on Mars." [03/26/2018]
• Mars' oceans formed early, possibly aided by massive volcanic eruptions [03/19/2018]
• Study: Martian Surface Water Was Absorbed by Planet's Crust [12/24/2017]
• Mars and Earth May Not Have Been Early Neighbors [12/19/2017]
• NASA: Mars' strange streaks might not be water after all [11/21/2017]
• Weird Dark Streaks on Mars May Not Be Flowing Water After All [11/20/2017]
• How to Give Mars an Atmosphere, Maybe [11/20/2017]
• A Region On Mars With Recent Water Is About To Get Major Attention [02/19/2017]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Seasonal Streaks Point to Recent Flowing Water on Mars [09/30/2015]
• Big NASA "Mars mystery" announcement gets watered down [09/28/2015]
• Life on Mars? NASA Finds Flowing Water on Barren Planet [09/28/2015]
• Climate Change on Mars? [09/28/2015]
• Evidence found of "flowing liquid water" on Mars: NASA [09/28/2015]
• Water Is Flowing on Mars [09/28/2015]
• NASA Discusses Science Update Sheds Light On Mars Mystery! !!:30 AM FIVE MINUTES! [09/28/2015]
• Mars 'mystery solved': has Nasa found water flowing on the Red Planet? [09/27/2015]
• What's Behind NASA's Upcoming Mystery Announcement About Mars [09/24/2015]
• This Mountain on Mars Is Leaking [04/11/2015]
• Ice on Mars: Mars has belts of glaciers consisting of frozen water [04/09/2015]
• Buried Mars Glaciers are Brimming With Water [04/08/2015]
• Mars has lost an Arctic Ocean's worth of water [03/05/2015]
• Meteoric Evidence Suggests Mars May Have a Subsurface Reservoir [of water] [12/22/2014]
• Curiosity Rover Makes Big Water Discovery in Mars Dirt, a 'Wow Moment' [09/26/2013]
• NASA says there is NO life on Mars: Curiosity rover hasn't discovered any clues... [09/21/2013]
• Curiosity rover's methane result challenges life theory [09/19/2013]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- An Ancient Stream Bank on Mars [10/02/2012]
• Mars rover Curiosity finds signs of ancient stream [09/28/2012]
• Mars Was Once Covered In Hip-Deep Flowing Water [09/27/2012]
• Gases Created When Meteors Slam into Planets May Provide False-Positives of Life [09/25/2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Unusual Spheres on Mars [09/24/2012]
• Clay Deposits Don't Prove Existence of Ancient Martian Lakes [09/17/2012]
• Solar System Ice: Source of Earth's Water [07/14/2012]
• Mars Express Finds Supersaturated Water Vapor in Mars' Atmosphere [10/10/2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Dry Ice Pits on Mars [09/26/2011]
• Wind and water have shaped Schiaparelli on Mars [12/10/2010]
• Meteorite Impacts Expose Ice on Mars [09/25/2009]
• Water Ice Exposed in Mars Craters [09/24/2009]
• NASA To Hold Teleconference To Discuss New Findings About Mars [09/23/2009]
• Mars Red-Faced Without Water ("casts doubt on whether the surface is really billions of years old") [09/22/2009]
• Giant Cracks on Mars Hint at Ancient Lakes [09/16/2009]
• Discovery of ice fuels speculation about Martian life [09/14/2009]
• NASA Scientists Find Evidence For Liquid Water On A Frozen Early Mars [06/02/2009]
• Methane-producing mineral discovered on Mars [03/28/2009]
• Blobs in Photos of Mars Lander Stir a Debate: Are They Water? [03/18/2009]
• Photo: Liquid Water Recently Seen on Mars? [02/19/2009]
• What's painting dark streaks on Mars? [02/15/2009]
• Martian methane belch: From rocks or microbes? [01/15/2009]
• Clouds of Methane May Mean Life on Mars [01/15/2009]
• Water on Mars Confirmed? (Thursday's Phoenix Mars Mission press conference could reveal big news) [07/30/2008]
• New Data Reveals Mars' Wet and Balmy Past [07/16/2008]
• Phoenix scientists soon will analyze Martian ice [07/05/2008]
• Mars' Water Appears To Have Been Too Salty To Support Life [05/30/2008]
• Water gushes created "staircases" on Mars: study [02/20/2008]
• Gasp! Even Martian dirt points to water [05/23/2007]
• NASA Rover Finds Surprising Evidence for Mars' Watery Past SPACE.com Staff [05/22/2007]
• Spirit finds proof of wet past on Mars (Gusev Crater, unusually rich deposit of silica) [05/21/2007]
• Huge Reservoir of Frozen Water Found on Mars [03/15/2007]
• Immense ice deposits found at south pole of Mars [03/15/2007]
• Major space missions move ahead [03/12/2007]
• Water Flows on Mars? Not So Fast [03/06/2007]
• National Geographic: Melting Mars Means Man-Made Global Warming a Myth [03/01/2007]
• Spaceship finds hard evidence of water on Mars [02/18/2007]
• More evidence found for water on Mars [02/15/2007]
• Hints of huge water reservoirs on Mars [01/27/2007]
• Mars Is Warming, NASA Scientists Report [01/26/2007]
• Daily Policy Digest: MARS IS WARMING [01/25/2007]
• The Mars Global Surveyor [Global Warming on Mars Also] [01/25/2007]
• Hints Of Huge Water Reservoirs On Mars [01/25/2007]
• Mars Ski Report: Snow is Hard, Dense and Disappearing [Global Warming on MARS] [01/22/2007]
• Why Didn't We Prove Greenhouse Effect on Mars? [01/13/2007]
• Red planet's hue due to meteors, not water [12/21/2006]
• Mars Takes a Fresh Pounding [12/12/2006]
• NASA finds water flowed recently on Mars [12/06/2006]
• NASA Briefing: NASA Images Suggest Water Still Flows in Brief Spurts on Mars [12/06/2006]
• Water Still Flows in Brief Spurts on Mars [12/06/2006]
• NASA studies Mars water in hope of mission - New MRO pics of Mars [10/17/2006]
• Big new reservoir of water ice suspected under Mars - It once SNOWED on Mars [03/17/2006]
• Martian Snow Source Of Tropical Glaciers, Research Team Reports [01/22/2006]
• Fire And Ice: Mars Images Reveal Recent Volcanic And Glacial Activity (climate change) [01/22/2006]
• Water Could Stay Liquid on Mars [11/15/2005]
• Evidence Mounts for Mid-Mars Water [10/20/2005]
• Martian dunes hide water secret [09/05/2005]
• Ice lake found on the Red Planet [07/30/2005]
• Ice Lake Found on Mars [07/29/2005]
• Water Ice In Crater At Martian North Pole [07/29/2005]
• Photographic Evidence of Water on Mars - NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day site (Fantastic Photo!) [04/01/2005]
• Water on Mars? 296K Image [12/21/2004]
• Martian Water Vapor and Methane Overlap in Equatorial Regions (Formaldehyde!?) [12/18/2004]
• Mars: the only goal for humanity [12/13/2004]
• Mars rovers see water-linked mineral (Geothite), frost and clouds [12/13/2004]
• Scientist Sure Mars Had Water (Like Global Warming) [12/03/2004]
• Mars Express pictures action of glaciers [11/06/2004]
• Water coursed through Martian hills [10/08/2004]
• Bedrock in Mars' Gusev Crater Hints at Watery Past [08/18/2004]
• Mars rovers find more evidence of water _ and some oddities [08/18/2004]
• The eroded valleys of Dao and Niger Valles The eroded valleys of Dao and Niger Valles [08/16/2004]
• Ammonia on Mars could mean life [07/23/2004]
• Solar storms may have torn away Mars water, says NASA [07/09/2004]
• Rain on Mars 3bn years ago [07/01/2004]
• Spirit Finds More Signs of Water on Mars (new pics) [06/09/2004]
• Clue to water on Mars may be an illusion [04/06/2004]
• NASA Rover finds more signs of past water on Mars [04/01/2004]
• Politics of Water: Ancient Sea on Mars Begs Human Exploration [03/24/2004]
• MARS: The Case for Spirit's Water [03/09/2004]
• NASA asks Yukon developer for ice-core drill [03/07/2004]
• So, where did the water on Mars come from? [03/07/2004]
• Volcanic Rock in Mars' Gusev Crater Hints at Past Water [03/05/2004]
• ASU professor's theory of Martian water proves correct [03/04/2004]
• Science Hater and Demagogue John Effin' Kerry: Bush Lied About Water on Mars [03/03/2004]
• Evidence of Wasted Water on Mars! [03/03/2004]
• Scientists: Mars once 'drenched' with water [03/02/2004]
• Mars Had Enough Water for Life, NASA Says [03/02/2004]
• Opportunity Rover Finds Strong Evidence Meridiani Planum Was Wet [03/02/2004]
• NASA News Conference on Mars~~~ Live Thread [03/02/2004]
• Mars-Rover Opportunity Press Briefing, 2pm EST ("Significant findings") [03/02/2004]
• Nasa to reveal Mars water secrets (TOMORROW) [03/01/2004]
• Mars Rover Opportunity Makes 'Significant' Finding [03/01/2004]
• NASA News: NASA to make "big announcement" tomorrow (possibly, life on Mars!) [03/01/2004]
• NASA Planning Steps To Moon, Mars [03/01/2004]
• NASA to release 'significant findings' from Mars rover mission [03/01/2004]
• NASA to Announce 'Significant Findings' of Water on Mars Tuesday! [03/01/2004]
• NASA Headquarters Mars Rover Opportunity Press Briefing March 2 [03/01/2004]
• Water on Mars? We knew that 30 years ago! [03/01/2004]
• Mars: A Water World? Evidence Mounts, But Scientists Remain Tight-Lipped [02/29/2004]
• NASA Ponders Signs of Water-Bearing Mineral on Mars [02/27/2004]
• NASA Ponders Signs of Water-Bearing Mineral on Mars [02/26/2004]
• Mars rover uncovers hints of water activity [02/20/2004]
• Mars Rover Appears to Find Mineral Linked to Water [01/30/2004]
• Nasa confirms water on Mars [01/29/2004]
• Mars rock may point to past water [01/28/2004]
• If life on Mars theory holds water, what does it mean? [01/24/2004]
• Water Found on Mars - Is There Life? [01/23/2004]
• Ice on Mars: Americans Pour Cold Water on 'Eureka Moment' [Sorry EuroWeenies, we discovered it 1st] [01/23/2004]
• Water on Mars [01/23/2004]
• This just in: 'water on Mars' [01/22/2004]
• No proof of water found, Mars rover may have journey ahead [01/18/2004]
• Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images(Water sensed; Very Graphic) [01/10/2004]
• Spirit Finds Possible Evidence of Water on Mars [01/09/2004]
• Study: No Past Standing Water on Mars [08/22/2003]
• New findings could dash hopes for past oceans on Mars [08/21/2003]
• Los Alamos releases new maps of Mars water [07/26/2003]
• Water 'flows' on Mars [03/14/2003]
• Evidence of water on Mars increases possibility of life [10/17/2002]
• Water Will Shape Mars Exploration Plan [06/05/2002]
• Mars Express has the sophisticated science to find the water ice on Mars [05/30/2002]
• Ice Ocean on Mars: What's Next? [05/30/2002]
• Probe quenches researchers' thirst for water data [Mars] [05/29/2002]
• Vast quantities of water on Mars renew hopes of detecting past life there [05/29/2002]
• Mars ice could flood planet [05/28/2002]
• Mars ice could flood planet Mars ice could flood planet [05/28/2002]
• Water Ice Discovery on Mars May Be 'Tip of an Iceberg' [05/28/2002]
• NASA To Head For Mars After Water Is Found Everywhere [05/27/2002]
• Ice "Oceans" found on Mars [05/27/2002]
• Underground Ice Reportedly Detected on Mars [05/26/2002]
• Ice oceans found on Mars [05/26/2002]

[JimRed]

Billions of years ago, water flowed in rivers and pooled in lakes on the Martian surface. But Mars has since lost much of its atmosphere, which means water can't stay liquid for long on the surface today.

For an interesting theory on how most of Mars' atmosphere was lost, read "Worlds in Collision" by Emanuel Velikovsky, published in 1950.

[BenLurkin]

[SunkenCiv]

After impacts from space, water vapor is produced from soil ices, which provides a temporary microclimate and atmosphere of water vapor, making it possible for liquid water to flow.

This accounts for that from-nowhere-to-nowhere erosion patterns.

With the increase in surveillance of the Martian surface (from orbit and from the surface) this will be observed at some point as it's happening.