What are these mysterious formations on the surface of Mars?

Mars is a planet that has long captivated the imagination of scientists and the general public. Its reddish tint, its short distance from Earth, and its possible past as a bearer of life have made it an object of fascination for centuries. With each new mission and discovery, scientists have the opportunity to reveal more of their secrets. However, There are many more mysteries to be solved about Mars. Some of the most intriguing are found in a series of craters located in the northern part of the planet.

These formations, located in the region of the Land of Arabia, attracted the attention of researchers from the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The device’s HiRise camera took aerial photographs. Thus, it reveals unusual deposits of mysterious shape and distribution through a three-dimensional map.

Such deposits are found only on the southern faces of craters with a diameter of more than 600 m and are characterized by the presence of horizontal stratifications and light ridges that diverge outward. These features have puzzled researchers who worked to find a possible explanation for the strange formations. Remember that until now they were completely unknown.

Where do the strange craters and deposits in the north of Mars come from?

One of the proposed theories describes that these deposits are associated with sublimation. The latter is a process by which a solid is converted directly into a gas.. The largest craters may have penetrated the groundwater 45 to 60 meters below the surface, causing severe flooding once they formed.

A) Yes, the deposits found could represent different epochs of sublimationwith horizontal plates representing different layers or terraces.

“Terraces can represent different times of sublimation. Perhaps the largest craters penetrated the groundwater at a depth of 45 to 60 meters below the surface and flooded as they formed.

Paul Geissler, HiRise team member

This theory is supported by the fact that Mars is known for its sublimation, which can be seen in the “Happy Face Crater” – formally the Galle Crater. Galle is an ice formation located in the south polar region and has changed over time due to frost sublimation. Due to the rarefied Martian atmosphere and low temperature the phenomenon is very common on the red planet. Because of this, it probably played a role in the formation of the mysterious crater deposits of the Land of Arabia.

Although the mystery of these craters has not yet been fully solved, the work of researchers from the HiRise team is helping to shed light on this intriguing mystery. A combination of strange formations, beautiful images, a possible connection to the planet’s aquatic history, and a science-based explanation. make it a particularly fascinating mystery.

At that time, Mars exploration continues. It is likely that over time we will be able to fully understand the secrets that the red planet hides. Someday, maybe we will be able to step on it and see them with our own eyes.