Mars has long been considered the planet most similar to Earth. Which is why scientists are working tirelessly to gather more information about the Red Planet. Along those lines, various studies have been conducted for a long time to find the presence of water on the planet.
The presence of oceans on its surface suggests that the Red Planet may have once been blue. However, the planet may still hold liquid water underground, making it difficult to explore at depth.
Scientists at Penn State University say that if liquid water exists on Mars, it may be too deep underground to be detected by conventional methods used on Earth. However, listening to the planet’s earthquakes – called Marsquakes – could prove a new tool for detecting liquid water, they say.
When earthquakes occur and they move through deep underground aquifers, they generate electromagnetic signals. According to their research in the journal JGR Planets, these signals, if produced on Mars, could help identify water miles beneath the surface.
The study could lay the groundwork for analyzing data from future Mars missions, said Nolan Roth, a doctoral student in Penn State’s Department of Earth Sciences and lead author of the study.
