How the “Black Beauty” of the Sahara helped scientists determine the temperature of hot water, e.g

Australian scientists from Curtin University have discovered evidence of ancient hot water on Mars, suggesting that the Red Planet may have once had conditions suitable for life. Scientists have discovered geochemical traces of water-rich fluids in a 4.45-billion-year-old zircon grain from the Martian meteorite NWA7034, also known as “Black Beauty.”

The results were published in the journal Science Advances.

“Hydrothermal systems have played a key role in the development of life on Earth. Our research shows that water – a key component of a habitable environment – was present on Mars very early on,” said Dr Aaron Cavosie, from the Department of Earth and Planets at Curtin University. Science said.

The team made the discovery while examining the “Black Beauty” meteorite, which was found in the Sahara Desert in 2011 and is known for its dark, shiny color. The meteorite contains mineral grains that formed on Mars about 4.45 billion years ago. Scientists analyzed the meteorite and discovered several unusual deformed zircon grains inside it, which were formed during their “upwelling” to the surface of Mars.

Using nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy, elements such as iron, aluminum, yttrium and sodium were identified in zircon. According to reports, these elements are related to the presence of water during the formation of zircon. The mineral zircon contains geochemical features of fluids, including a significant amount of water, which was formed when hot rocks came into contact with very hot liquid water on Mars.

“Colleagues believe that similar hydrothermal systems were a key ingredient in the emergence of life on Earth,” Dr. Cavosie added, as reported by The Sun.

The presence of these hydrothermal systems suggests that Mars was likely habitable in the past, as hot water is thought to have occurred in the form of hydrothermal springs heated by magma from beneath Mars’ crust.

Previous research indicated that 4.1 billion years ago, Mars was a wet planet with rivers, lakes and even seas. However, two billion years later, the planet dried out completely due to rapid cooling caused by the thinning of the atmosphere under the influence of solar radiation.

The “Black Beauty” meteorite represents fragments of the original Martian crust that were ejected from the surface of Mars approximately 5 to 10 million years ago.

Scientists managed to trace the meteorite’s trajectory and precisely determine where it came from. The site was an impact crater named the Carraeta Crater after a region of Australia that often contains some of the oldest rocks on Earth.

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These discoveries not only shed light on the history of water on Mars, but also allow scientists to compare the oldest rock samples from Mars and Earth. The research provides valuable information about the early geological processes of Mars and their consequences for habitability.

The presence of hot liquid water during early igneous activity on Mars supports the idea that the Red Planet had the right conditions for life to emerge. Thus, in the distant past, the Martian environment may have had the potential to support alien life in its ancient form.

The find was reported by The Sun, Gazeta.ru and Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

This article was written in cooperation with Alchemiq, a company dealing with generative artificial intelligence