Researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have made a groundbreaking discovery of mineral-forming events beneath Mars’ surface, using NASA’s Perseverance rover data. This finding is closer to whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.
Sulfate minerals play a key role in studying Mars’ water movement and potential for life. However, the processes behind their formation were previously unclear. The team developed a method to directly analyze the crystal structures of these minerals in Martian rocks, which was previously thought impossible.
They utilized X-ray Backscatter Diffraction Mapping (XBDM), an innovative technique Dr. Michael Jones and Professor Christoph Schrank created at the Australian Synchrotron.
By integrating this method with Perseverance’s PIXL instrument, designed by QUT alumna Abigail Allwood, the researchers uncovered valuable insights into Mars’ environment during mineral formation.
The study revealed two generations of calcium-sulfate minerals at Hogwallow Flats and Yori Pass in the Shenandoah formation, part of Jezero Crater’s ancient sedimentary fan. One set formed near the surface, while the other developed deeper underground, over 80 meters down. This diversity points to varied environmental conditions in the region’s history, opening multiple possibilities for life to have existed on Mars.
Since its landing in February 2021, the Perseverance rover has been investigating Mars’ geological past. It has explored ancient river deltas and lakebeds, aiming to uncover environments that could have supported microbial life and to collect samples for potential return to Earth.
QUT is a key player in the Planetary Surface Exploration Research Group, contributing to interplanetary science projects for NASA and the Australian Space Agency. Associate Professor David Flannery, a long-term planner for the Perseverance mission, emphasized QUT’s growing prominence in planetary science.
Through groundbreaking research in robotics, automation, data science, and astrobiology, QUT researchers are gaining expertise to help position Australia as a leader in the growing space industry. This study advances our knowledge of Mars’ geology and edges humanity closer to understanding the possibility of life beyond Earth.
Journal Reference:
- Michael Jones, David Flannery, et al. In situ, crystallographic mapping constraints sulfate precipitation and timing in Jezero crater, Mars. Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt3048
Source: Tech Explorist
