The international research team led by Professor Xiao Long, a Chinese University of Geosciences (Wuhan), has obtained scientific data obtained by the multi -spectrum camera (MSCAM) equipped by the "Zhu Rong" Mars car through comprehensive analysis.The evidence of the rock science of marine sedimentary rock proves that the ocean has existed in northern Mars.
According to China CCTV news report, the relevant research results based on the Utopia Plain Ocean sedimentary rocks: The inscriptions of Zhu Rong Mars will be published in the national scientific assessment of comprehensive authoritative journals.
Reported that the current Mars is cold and dry, lack of flowing water and traces of life, but the Mars environment of billions of years ago may be very different.In the past, research has proven that there was a large amount of liquid water in Mars in the early days, and the ancient ocean hypothesis was proposed through landform analysis and numerical simulation. It is believed that the ancient ocean area has formed a special marine sedimentary geological unit., But lack of support for detection data in situ.Therefore, whether the ocean has been in the northern plain of Mars has always been the focus of controversy.
China Tianwen No. 1 Mars mission "Zhu Rong" Mars car successfully landed in the south edge of the Utopia Plain in the east of the northern plain of Mars in 2021.It provides opportunities for checking whether the ancient ocean deposits are existing.
Since landing, the "Zhu Rong" has been driving south to the potential coastline area, and observing the stratigraphy of the northern wasteland in the northern wasteland along the way.The "Zhu Rong" drove about 1921 meters, using different imaging and analysis systems to conduct detailed position observation of the display and surface rocks. Among them, navigation and terrain cameras have obtained 106 panorama images, which detailed the "Zhu Rong" marching.The surface shape and structural characteristics of many rocks near the route.
Xiao Long introduced, "We look at the photos returned by the Mars car car camera, and found that these naked rock development layer structures are significantly different from the common volcanic rocks on the surface of Mars, and it is also different from the layers formed by wind and sand deposits.Structure, the two -way water flow characteristics indicated by these layers of knowledge are consistent with the low -energy tide flow in the earthy -shallow sea environment. "
Based on rock images, Professor Xiao Long's research team analyzed the" Zhu Rong "in detailThe surface structure of stones in the Mars car inspection area.In the study, the research team found that the rocks in the section usually retain a partial mirror -like interlacing layer structure, mainly with a variety of small cross -stagnation, accompanied by a small amount of lens -type flat layer and small waterway structure.
Among them, the layer that forms the error layer is tilted in the opposite direction, indicating the two -way ancient water flow environment.In addition, because the thickness and particle size of the layer have a large difference in different directions, it indicates that the ancient water flows in the two directions.This two -way water flow mode is usually formed by the fluid effect with cyclical flow to change. It is not common in wind and riverside environment, but it is common in the shore -shallow sea environment of the earth.Compared with the earth, Mars has only two small satellites, making its surface has a low -energy tidal system. In this tidal environment, it can only form small -scale layered structures.In addition, the foundation and sedimentation structure identified in the study have evidence that supports it for flowing water instead of wind.
The joint research team of this research work comes from 13 joint writers from Chinese and overseas universities, Professor Xiao Long and Professor Huang Jun of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) as the common first author of the dissertation. China University of Geosciences (China University of GeosciencesWuhan) Professor Xiao Long and Professor Tim Coski as the common communication authors of the dissertation.
