NASA's Perseverance Mars rover finds groundwater, lakes, and hot fluids in one place
NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered evidence of igneous rocks in Mars' Jezero Crater that interacted with water on multiple occasions. This suggests a more complex geological and hydrological history than previously assumed, involving ancient lakes and hydrothermal activity.
Why it matters
Refining our understanding of Martian water history helps scientists identify the best locations to search for evidence of ancient microbial life.
A new study suggests that Jezero Crater's mysterious "Margin Unit" records a far more complicated history of water than scientists expected, involving ancient lakes, groundwater, and later hydrothermal activity.
When NASA's Perseverance rover arrived at the inner rim of Mars' Jezero Crater in September 2023, researchers expected to encounter sedimentary rocks along what was once the shoreline of a Martian lake. Such rocks form as layers of material accumulate over long periods of time. On Earth, sedimentary rocks made from clay and silt can be especially valuable because they are capable of preserving evidence of ancient microbial life.
Scientists were also interested in the area because Mars orbiters had detected strong signatures of carbonate minerals there. On Earth, carbonates commonly develop in shallow lakes and oceans, including environments that can support life.
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