The Jezero crater in the northern part of Mars, formed by a meteorite, once contained a huge lake and a river delta, which gives hope for finding remnants of life in the past.
According to Science Daily, this was confirmed by NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover using a special radar.
Over the centuries, sedimentation and erosion inside the crater formed the geological formations that can be seen on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments strengthens hopes that traces of life may be found in soil and rock samples collected by the rover.
A study published in the journal Science Advances by a team of scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Oslo shows that at some point the crater was filled with water. Over time, the lake shrank, and the sediments formed by the river that fed it formed a huge delta.
The car-sized rover, which carries seven scientific instruments, is exploring a 50 km wide crater, studying geology and the atmosphere, and collecting samples from 2021.
Soil and rock samples will be returned to Earth and studied for signs of past life.
From May to December 2022, Perseverance moved from the crater floor to the delta.
When the rover entered the delta, the radar scanner used radar waves to examine sediments at a depth of about 20 meters below the surface.
With the help of radar, scientists can see the former surface of the crater floor, which is buried under the sediment.
The existence of lake sediments was assumed in previous studies, but the rover confirmed their existence.
