According to scientists, it’s highly likely that the Perseverance rover may already have rolled over signs of life on Mars. This assessment comes as the latest data from the rover hints at the existence of the sediments of a dried-out lake on the planet, which was once fed by a large river.
An analysis of data confirmed that the Jezero Crater once contained a delta system. The car-sized, six-wheeled rover, nicknamed Percy, was sent in 2021 to investigate the crater on Mars. Underground radar images suggest that the rover is investigating the perfect spot on the planet where it could already have stumbled upon signs of microbial life.
"From orbit we can see a bunch of different deposits, but we can't tell for sure if what we're seeing is their original state, or if we're seeing the conclusion of a long geological story," explains planetary scientist and first author David Paige from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
"To tell how these things formed, we need to see below the surface," he added.
RIMFAX: The greatest tool on board the rover
Percy rover boasts seven major scientific tools in total, with RIMFAX being the greatest of all. It can detect ice, water or salty brines even 10 metres below the surface. Additionally, it can map layers of soil and rock down to 20 metres.
As Percy roamed around the western edge of the Jezero crater for several months last year, it extensively used its radar to probe the surface below.
What Percy has collected so far?
The Percy rover has collected rocks and dust from the Martian surface, which show signs of organic compounds. But as per scientists, it's impossible to say if these compounds come from biological or geological sources until a separate mission is sent there to collect the inventory and then it is analysed in detail by experts.
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"This sequence of events… reinforces the notion that Jezero crater has recorded a rich geological history that was driven by large-scale changes in the Martian environment," write the authors of the analysis.
As of now, the inventory of the rover is 60 per cent full.
(With inputs from agencies)
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2024-01-29 11:59:32Z
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