Scientists from QUT (Queensland University of Technology) have made a fascinating discovery using data from NASA’s Perseverance rover.
They found signs that minerals deep under the surface of Mars formed during more than one watery period in the planet’s history. This finding strengthens the possibility that Mars may once have supported life.
The research team was led by Dr. Michael Jones from QUT’s Central Analytical Research Facility and the School of Chemistry and Physics.
The team also included other QUT scientists as well as international researchers from North America and Europe.
Their study was published in the journal Science Advances.
Sulfate minerals are common on Mars and are important because they hold clues about the planet’s watery past.
These minerals contain water in their structure and can show how water once flowed through Martian rocks.
However, it’s still not clear exactly how or when they formed. Dr. Jones and his team developed a new way to solve that mystery.
They used a method called X-ray Backscatter Diffraction Mapping (XBDM), which was originally developed in Australia.
This technique lets scientists study the internal structure of crystals—something that wasn’t thought possible on Mars until now.
The team adapted the method to work with the PIXL instrument on board the Perseverance rover. PIXL was created by QUT graduate Abigail Allwood and is designed to study the chemistry of Martian rocks.
With this tool, the researchers were able to “read” the crystal patterns inside sulfate minerals found at two sites in the Jezero crater: Hogwallow Flats and Yori Pass.
These sites are part of a large sedimentary fan formed by an ancient river and lake system.
The patterns showed that there were actually two different generations of calcium-sulfate minerals—one that formed near the surface and one that formed much deeper underground, about 80 meters down.
This discovery shows that there were multiple wet periods on Mars, each capable of creating these minerals. That means there may have been several different times when conditions were right for life to exist, at least in microbial form.
Perseverance has been exploring Mars since landing in Jezero crater in 2021. One of its main goals is to search for signs of past life and collect rock samples that may one day be brought back to Earth for closer study.
According to Professor David Flannery, who helps plan the rover’s mission, this work puts QUT at the forefront of planetary science in Australia. He believes the advanced skills gained by QUT’s researchers could help drive Australia’s growing space industry in the future.
Source: QUT.
