We have been as excited as anybody when MARSIS (the Mars Superior Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) experiment introduced there was presumably liquid water underneath the southern polar ice cap. If there may be liquid water on Mars, it could make future exploration and colonization way more possible. Sadly, SHARAD (the Shallow Radar) has a brand new trick that suggests the info could not point out liquid water in any case.
Whereas the information is a bummer, the way in which scientists used SHARAD to substantiate — or, on this case, deny — the water speculation was a worthy hack. The SHARAD antenna is on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, however able that makes it troublesome to acquire direct floor readings from Mars. To compensate, operators usually roll the spacecraft to provide the omnidirectional antenna a clearer view of the bottom. Nevertheless, these rolls have been underneath 30 levels.
Laptop modelling indicated that rolls of 120 levels would tremendously enhance the SHARAD information. Thus far, 4 of those “very massive roll” or VLR maneuvers have allowed extra detailed probes of the floor with SHARAD. Sadly the brand new information didn’t again up the early findings. Scientists now assume the reflection could also be simply an unusually flat floor underneath the ice.
In fact, simply because there may not be water in that location doesn’t imply there isn’t any in any respect. Wish to stay on Mars? There’s rather a lot to consider.
