For the first time in the history of Mars research, Japanese scientists have obtained substantial confirmation that vast amounts of liquid water are stored at depths of 10–20 km. The researchers analyzed seismic data collected by the American InSight probe and found that certain “jumps” in the behavior of subsurface waves indicate the presence of water-saturated rocks—similar to how liquid water manifests itself on Earth.
The estimated volumes are striking: there is enough water to cover the entire surface of the Red Planet with a 1–2 kilometre layer. This opens up new prospects for searching for extraterrestrial life. On Earth and some of its moons, underground oceans often support microbial life.
Previously, it was thought that all of Mars’s water had long since disappeared, but the new results suggest that a large fraction is hidden deeper than earlier studies could reach. Technologies to retrieve such water are not available yet, but the discovery significantly advances science and future Mars missions.
