Scientists still haven’t completely solved the Mars puzzle. Thanks to data from the probe and satellite observations, we now know that there was once plenty of water on its surface. This indicates that the planet was hot and humid at that time. On the other hand, other evidence also shows that Mars is generally cold, but not a cold, dry desert. These two ideas may seem like they’re in conflict, but new research shows they’re both true. Mars was once a planet that is both cold and humid.
Researchers conducted several studies to create a model that could explain the surprising features witnessed on the Red Planet. If the planet is not hot and wet or cold and dry, is there a third option? They published their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They believe that the cold and wet scenarios they found in their research could explain the existence of a vast liquid ocean in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars that extends into the polar region.
Planetary scientists studying Mars have also found that tsunamis once existed on the Red Planet. If the ocean had frozen due to a very cold climate, these tsunamis would not have happened. But a milder climate would have meant that water was transferred from the ocean to land via precipitation. However, cold and wet conditions could also exist.
The team used an advanced general circulation model to calculate the necessary parameters for this world. They calculated that it’s possible for an ocean to exist even if the average temperature of Mars is below 0 degrees, the freezing point. 3 billion years ago, ice-covered plateaus must have remained in the south, where glaciers flowed from the plains and back into the ocean. Precipitation could have been moderate along the coastline. In this scenario, the ocean surface would have been 4.5 degrees. This temperature isn’t tropical, of course, but it’s enough to keep the water liquid.
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