Discovery of an Ancient Ocean Shoreline on Mars

Chinese scientists have discovered the shoreline of an ancient ocean on the surface of Mars, following an analysis of data collected by the Chinese rover Zhurong.

In a scientific study, the researchers stated: “Our findings not only confirm the existence of an ancient Martian ocean in the northern plains, but they also provide insight into the evolution of Mars’ environment. We classify the sediments in the southern Utopia Planitia as coastal deposits formed by the waves of an ancient ocean, likely composed of sand and gravel transported by tidal currents.”

The scientists also noted, in their study published in the American scientific journal PNAS, that “using radar data collected by the rover, extensive deposits were detected beneath the surface of the southern part of Utopia Planitia.”

This discovery suggests the presence of a vast body of water on Mars in the past, further supporting the hypothesis that an ocean once existed in the planet’s northern plains.

In November 2024, a joint study conducted by Russian and Chinese scientists, published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports, had already found evidence of an ocean on the surface of the “Red Planet”.

The recent Chinese study is based on data from the Zhurong rover, which has been exploring the southern part of Utopia Planitia on Mars since 2021.