NASA’s curiosity has found evidence of the presence of a carbon cycle on the old Mars, making scientists closer to an answer about whether the planet is able to support life.
Curiosity believes that its paths are declining to the distance at a site called Ubajara on April 30, 2023; This site is the place where Rover Siderite discovered. Photo credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS.
The planetary researchers have long believed that Mars one day had a thick, rich, carbon dioxide and liquid water on the surface of the planet.
Carbon dioxide and water should interact with Mars rocks to create carbonate minerals.
So far, though, you have not found Rover tasks and an analysis of the semi -reddish -ray analysis of the satellite that revolves around Mars as the amounts of carbonate on the surface of the planet that this theory predicted.
“We are ultimately trying to determine whether Mars is able to support life – and the latest paper we have brought us closer to an answer,” said lead author Dr. Benjamin Totolo, a researcher at Calgary University.
“He tells us that the planet was valid for housing and that the models of housing are correct.”
Using the data collected by curiosity, Dr. Totolo and his colleagues analyzed the formation of a 89-meter class section of the Gale-hole, which contained an old lake.
They have identified iron carbonate called Siderite with high concentrations-ranging from about 5 % to more than 10 % by weight-inside layers rich in magnesium.
This was unexpected, because the tropics did not discover carbonate in these layers.
Looking at its origin and chemistry, the researchers conclude that Al -Sodit was formed through water and evaporation reactions, indicating that carbon dioxide was chemically isolated from the atmosphere of Mars to sedimentary rocks.
If the metal composition of these sulfate layers represents the sulfate -rich areas worldwide, then these deposits contain a large carbon tank that was previously not recognized.
Carbonate was partially destroyed by subsequent operations, indicating that some carbon dioxide was later returned to the atmosphere, which forms the carbon cycle.
“Siderite’s abundant discovery in Gale Crate is a sudden and important breakthrough in our understanding of the geological development and the atmosphere of Mars,” said Dr. Totolo.
“Through Mars, the classes are like a history.”
“Only a few centimeters give us a good idea of minerals formed or near the surface about 3.5 billion years ago.”
the Results It appears in the magazine sciences.
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Benjamin M. Tolo And others. 2025. Carbonate identified by Rover Curiosphere indicates the presence of a carbon cycle that works on the old Mars. sciences 388 (6744): 292-297; DOI: 10.1126/Science.ado9966