Ancient Mars may have had received water from two major sources

[Judi Lynn]

By Mike Wehner @MikeWehner
April 1st, 2020 at 12:15 AM

Ancient Mars likely received a wealth of water from two primary sources, according to a new study by a team at the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. The research, which was published in Nature Geoscience, suggests that Mars’ watery past may have been made possible thanks to two large sources.

Scientists have known for some time now that Mars not only still has a little bit of water, but it used to have a whole lot more. In fact, the Red Planet may have once hosted massive bodies of water that could have supported life, but where exactly did it come from?

Studying the history of water on Mars is difficult without actually being there. Thankfully, Mother Nature actually delivered pieces of Mars to Earth in the form of meteorites. Two of these space rocks in particular — the Allan Hills 84001 and the Northwest Africa 7034 meteorites — offered clues that hint at a very interesting past.

“A lot of people have been trying to figure out Mars’ water history,” Jessica Barnes, lead author of the work, said in a statement. “Like, where did water come from? How long was it in the crust (surface) of Mars? Where did Mars’ interior water come from? What can water tell us about how Mars formed and evolved?”

More:
https://bgr.com/2020/04/01/mars-water-history-astronomy-study/