Mars turned red long before we thought. Volcanoes, ancient water may hold key to its true colours
Unlocking the Secrets of Mars’ Red Hue
The rusty dust on the Red Planet is older than previously assumed and formed when volcanoes erupted, and water was widespread on its surface, a new study has found. Led by Adomas Valantinas of Brown University in the United States, the study was published in the journal Nature Communications, combining novel laboratory experiments with data from spacecraft, including those from the European Space Agency (ESA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Understanding the Red Planet’s True Colours
Mars is one of the easiest planets to spot in the night sky, thanks to its reddish hue. Observations by a fleet of spacecraft studying it from orbit, as well as from the ground in the last few decades, have confirmed that the colour of the Red Planet is attributed to rusted iron present in its dust. However, a recent study suggests that the red colour of Mars may be attributed to a different form of rust called ferrihydrite.
Ferrihydrite: A Key to Understanding Mars’ Past
Ferrihydrite forms quickly in the presence of cool water, meaning it must have formed on Mars when its surface still hosted lakes, rivers, and seas filled with water. This new discovery has significant implications for understanding Mars’ past and present climatic conditions, chemical history, and, ultimately, whether it was ever inhabited.
The Research Methodology
To reach this conclusion, the researchers created artificial Martian dust in the laboratory using an advanced grinder machine, with a turmeric-like ochre hue. The synthetic dust had a realistic particle size, consistent with the samples analyzed by NASA’s Phoenix lander. The team tested mixtures of various minerals with different forms of iron oxide, including hematite and ferrihydrite, and analyzed the samples using the same techniques employed by orbiting spacecraft.
The Findings: A Shift in Understanding Mars’ Red Hue
The study’s findings challenge previous assumptions about the origin of Mars’ red colour, suggesting that the rusty dust is older than previously thought and was formed when volcanoes erupted and water flooded the planet’s surface. The researchers’ discovery has important implications for our understanding of Mars’ past and present, and may shed light on whether the planet was ever capable of supporting life.
The Future of Mars Research
The study’s findings open up new avenues for research, including the potential for future missions to the Red Planet. The ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover and the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return mission, which will provide further insights into the composition of Martian soil, are eagerly anticipated. Regolith samples already collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover, which includes dust, will help scientists quantify the amount of ferrihydrite present, providing valuable insights into the history of water and the potential for life on Mars.
The Red Planet’s Secrets Remain to be Uncovered
Until then, we continue to gaze at our red cousin from afar, pondering the origins of its striking hues. As researchers and space agencies continue to explore the mysteries of Mars, we may uncover even more surprises, shedding light on the planet’s true colours and the secrets it holds.
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