Dimitra Atri astrophysicist from new York University in Abu Dhabi suggests that if life has survived on Mars, then it should be found not on the surface and at a depth of about two meters. Their arguments scientist presented in the article published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Although on the surface of Mars was not discovered any life, a new study conducted by researcher of the Center for space Sciences at new York University in Abu Dhabi Atri Dimitra (Dimitra Atri) shows that the conditions under the surface of the red planet are quite suitable for this.
There is increasing evidence that in ancient times was 4.1-3.7 billion years ago on Mars there was a water environment, and therefore, most likely, and life. But the erosion of the Martian atmosphere has led to a dramatic climate change had vanished in the surface water decreased habitable places on the planet.
Currently on Mars there is evidence only of small quantities of water in the form of brine, the polar caps, hydrated minerals and large deposits of water ice in the shallow underground environment. Satellite observations confirm the existence under the surface of the water in the form of ice deposits at depths ranging from one meter to several kilometers.
According to the scientist, life, if it ever existed, had to adapt to today’s harsh conditions — low temperatures and high doses of radiation, precluding any possibility of a sustainable ecosystem on the planet’s surface.
Using a combination of numerical models, the data space missions and studies of deep-sea ecosystems on Earth, Atri provides the mechanisms by which life could be preserved in the subsurface layer.
He puts forward the hypothesis that organisms there can for your metabolism to use energy galactic cosmic rays consisting of high-energy charged particles that penetrate several meters below the surface and can cause chemical reactions organic catalysis, similar to those observed in similar radiation environments on Earth.
An additional source of energy, according to the scientist, there may be radionuclides that are present in the Martian regolith.
If the Rover Rosalind Franklin joint mission "Eczemas" the European space Agency and the Russian space Agency, whose launch is planned for 2022, finds in the underground space of the planet is water in the form of water ice or brines, a hypothesis will be working.
"it will be Interesting to see what organisms can survive in such harsh conditions, only two meters below the surface of Mars — presented in a press release of the University of the word Atri. Rover Rosalind Franklin, equipped with the installation pzemnogo drilling, well suited for the detection of existing microbial life, and we hope it will provide important new information".
It is assumed that the Rover mission, "Eczemas" using a drill with a length of two meters will select samples of plutonic rocks.
