Chapter 1: Unveiling Martian Secrets

Recent research has unveiled the presence of three lakes lying just beneath the Martian surface, alongside confirmation of a previously identified fourth lake, stirring excitement about the possibility of life on Mars.

The Mars Express orbiter, depicted in an artistic rendering, is diligently exploring the Martian terrain. Image credit: ESA

Mars has intrigued humanity with the concept of extraterrestrial life for over a century. We now understand that beneath its surface, water exists as ice and in small, salty pockets of liquid water located just a few meters down.

In 2018, scientists announced the discovery of a lake hidden beneath the Martian surface, a claim that was met with some skepticism within the scientific community. A recent study not only corroborates the existence of this initial Martian lake but also reveals three additional, smaller lakes surrounding it in the Ultimi Scopuli region.

Elena Pettinelli, a planetary scientist at the University of Rome, states, “We have identified the same body of water, but we’ve also discovered three other water bodies in proximity to it. It’s a complex system.”

The largest of these four extraterrestrial lakes measures approximately 30 kilometers (18 miles) in length and 20 kilometers (12 miles) in width, lying roughly 1.5 kilometers (under a mile) beneath the Martian surface. Collectively, these bodies of water span an area of 75,000 square kilometers (29,000 square miles), which is larger than the state of West Virginia.

Mars was once abundant in water, and remnants of that water might still exist today. Image credit: NASA/GSFC

Due to Mars' thin atmosphere, liquid water cannot persist on its surface today. For water to remain in a liquid state under the current conditions, these underground lakes would likely need to be highly saline. If validated by further studies, these would represent the first known liquid water lakes on Mars, potentially serving as habitats for Martian life.

The initial evidence for the first lake was based on just 29 observations conducted between 2012 and 2015. In contrast, the new study compiles 134 observations from 2012 to 2019.

The European Space Agency notes, “While water cannot be stable on the surface now, this new finding opens the door for the possibility that an entire system of ancient lakes may exist underground, potentially millions or even billions of years old. These sites would be prime locations to search for signs of life on Mars, though they may be extremely challenging to reach.”

If Mars had a thicker atmosphere and abundant water, it may have looked like this. Image credit: The Cosmic Companion/Created in Universe Sandbox.

Nonetheless, the high salt concentrations that prevent this water from freezing could pose significant challenges for life. Although life thrives in Earth’s salty oceans, few organisms can endure the extreme salinity found in regions like the Great Salt Lake.

Experiments indicate that a 50 percent sodium perchlorate solution is necessary to keep water in a liquid state at -30 degrees Celsius. Even colder lakes would require calcium perchlorate to prevent freezing at temperatures as low as -77 degrees Celsius (-106 degrees Fahrenheit).

Pettinelli explains, “Perchlorates are prevalent in Martian soil, leading us to hypothesize that a similar process could have occurred in our study area. Laboratory tests convincingly show that brines can remain liquid even at very low temperatures, suggesting that once formed, they resist freezing.”

Interestingly, terrestrial life struggles in calcium-rich environments compared to sodium-rich ones.

Halobacterium cells exhibiting clustering behavior. Image credit: NASA

John Priscu, an environmental scientist at Montana State University, adds, “There’s very little active life in these briny pools in Antarctica. They’re essentially preserved. That might be true for Mars as well.”

However, some extremophiles have adapted to thrive in highly saline conditions, with Halobacterium requiring such environments for their proteins to function properly.

Unanswered questions linger regarding whether Mars can generate enough heat to keep these lakes liquid or if the water is more akin to slush.

Mars Express with its MARSIS instruments deployed. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Corby Waste

The Mars Express spacecraft, equipped with the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) instrument, has delved beneath the icy crust of Mars’ south pole to gather data on these subsurface water bodies.

Radio signals from this robotic observatory penetrate the upper layers of the crust, reflecting back to the detectors on the spacecraft. By analyzing these reflections, scientists ascertain the types of materials—rock, water, ice, etc.—at various depths.

“Our findings reinforce the detection of a liquid water body at Ultimi Scopuli and suggest nearby wet areas. We propose that these waters are hypersaline perchlorate brines, known to occur in the polar regions of Mars,” researchers state in their study published in Nature Astronomy.

A similar methodology is employed to identify subglacial lakes on Earth, like Lake Vostok in Antarctica.

“I prefer lakes, streams, and ponds over the ocean. My people left the sea for a reason and now prefer their salt from shakers rather than brine.”

? Thomm Quackenbush, Holidays with Bigfoot

In February 2021, the Tianwen-1 mission from China is set to enter orbit around Mars and deploy a rover to its surface. The onboard instruments will search for additional water sources and any possible life forms residing on Mars.

While life may be sparse in Earth’s frozen subglacial lakes, organisms still manage to survive. The discovery of life—no matter how primitive—on another planet would signal a new era in our understanding of the cosmos.

James Maynard is the founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion, currently residing in Tucson with his wife, Nicole, and their cat, Max.

The Mars Express finds more underground water on Mars - YouTube

This video explores how the Mars Express mission has expanded our understanding of water presence beneath the Martian surface.

Water on Mars: Network of Lakes Found Beneath Surface - YouTube

Watch to learn about the recent discovery of a network of lakes beneath the Martian surface, revealing potential habitats for life.