Deep Hole Found on Mars May Contain Life

Scientists have recently discovered what seems to be a deep hole or cavern on Mars, according to LiveScience.com.

With NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's imaging system, it has taken a shot of the dark spot, with measure 330 feet (100 meters) across and contrasts greatly with the bright dusty lava plain at which it is located. The cave or hole is situated to the northeast of Arsia Mons, which is one of the four giant Tharsis volcanoes on Mars.

Researchers speculate that the hole might be the ideal place that could support life on the red planet or serve as a habitat for future astronauts and expeditions.

With its specialized High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) drew a bead on the deep hole, causing scientists to wonder if there really is possible life lying within the hole.

Researchers say that the spot is not an impact crater, as the hole does not have a raised rim or tossed out material called ejecta, which may result from volcanic activity or from meteors hitting the surface of the planet. The study of the image has revealed that there are no walls or other details inside the hole, so speculation draws that possible walls might be completely vertical or dark in color, or overhanging. Image specialists of the HiRISE instrument have studied the pictures taken, and have said that "The pit must be very deep to prevent detection of the floor from natural daylight, which is rather bright on Mars."

Back in April, NASA announced that it's Mars Odyssey and its Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) found seven dark spots like the one the current Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's imaging system picked up. These spots are all potential entrances to underground caves near the equator of the red planet.

HiRISE principal investigator, Alfred McEwen, of the University of Arizona in Tucson says that NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is in position to focus on the other dark spots that the previous orbiter, Mars Odyssey took a few months back.

To potentially capture better images, McEwen advises that the MRO take "Oblique images from the west, to see illuminated walls. These are deep holes with overhanging walls, but perhaps not long caves."

The Potential of the Caves

Peter Smith, who is the principal investigator for NASA's next outbound mission going to Mars, speculates that the caves on Mars may potentially have subsurface life on the planet. With the next instrument, the Phoenix Lander, he hopes that with its data, he will be able to provide support for life on Mars. He says that "The deeper and deeper you go down on Mars, the warmer and warmer it gets, until at some point the conditions are just right where liquid water is stable." Scientists believe that wherever there is water, there must be some sort of life there.

Another speculative theory to the caves is that the caves could be linked to underground fractures that are allowing water vapor to be trapped inside. In those conditions, it would be the ideal environment for biology to thrive.

For Smith, this discovery of caves on Mars is an exciting find. He states that "We can't say what's in the caves. It's just that they exist. It is hard to tell from orbit. Landers can follow up on these discoveries," which is exactly what he plans to do as he heads the Phoenix Lander in the near future.

Penny Boston, who is director of cave and karst studies at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, New Mexico, has been working on a related project called Caves of Mars Project, which is also funded by a branch of NASA, the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts.

Boston says that natural caves are not only environments of biological interest, but they could offer future human explorers a place to house against the high-radiation environment on Mars. Not only can the caves provide shelter, but also easer subsurface access for direct exploration and drilling, which may lead to extractable resources of value.

Leonard David. "Deep Hole Found on Mars." Live Science. http://www.livescience.com/space/scienceastronomy/070605_mars_hole.html