Mars and TG盗U机器人源码安装Earth: Scientists discover striking similarities in planetary landscapes

May 6, 2025  21:48

Mars, with its thin atmosphere and extreme climate, seems like Earth’s opposite. Yet, scientists from the University of Rochester have found that the Red Planet is surprisingly similar to Earth in one aspect: its ice-shaped landscapes are nearly identical to ours. The study, published in the journal Icarus, reveals how ice-driven processes create similar patterns on both planets and what this means for the search for life on Mars.

Pattern Similarities: Earth Meets Mars

The research team analyzed satellite images of nine Martian craters in the planet’s mid-latitudes and compared them to Earth’s landscapes in the Arctic (e.g., Alaska) and the Rocky Mountains. The results were astonishing: wavy patterns on Mars, resembling slowly dripping paint, were nearly identical to Earth’s solifluction lobes. These landforms emerge when freeze-thaw cycles cause soil to “slide” down slopes.

“We see the same physical laws at work on both planets, despite vastly different conditions,” explains study co-author Rachel Glade. On Earth, solifluction occurs when melting ice loosens soil, allowing it to slip. On Mars, where liquid water is scarce, the process likely involves sublimation—ice turning directly into vapor without a liquid phase.

Scale and Gravity: The Key Differences

The only notable difference is the scale of the structures. Martian lobes are 2.6 times taller than Earth’s, which aligns perfectly with calculations accounting for:

• Gravity: Mars’ gravity is 38% of Earth’s, allowing soil to “flow” to greater heights.
• Soil: Martian regolith, rich in ice and dust, is less dense than Earth’s soils.
• Climate Conditions: Sublimation of ice on Mars creates sharper shifts in soil movement.

“It’s as if nature used the same template but with different settings,” Glade adds. The scientists confirmed that patterns in craters, like Mars’ Luban Crater, are identical to Earth’s in shape and dynamics but adapted to local conditions.

Why This Matters for the Search for Life

The discovery suggests that Mars experienced freeze-thaw cycles similar to Earth’s in the past, which is critical for astrobiology:

• Wet Conditions: Solifluction requires ice and possibly temporary liquid water flows. Such environments could have been habitable for microbes, like Earth’s Arctic zones.
• Geochemistry: Ice processes may have mixed minerals and organics, creating “oases” for life.
• Earth Comparison: The resemblance to Arctic landscapes helps scientists search for biomarkers in Martian soils, as done by the Perseveranceand Curiositymissions.

“If Mars ever hosted life, these regions are the best places to look,” the researchers note. This echoes findings from lunar soil (Chang’e-6), which revealed water traces, and meteorites, indicating organics in space.

What’s Next?

Scientists plan to refine the age of Martian lobes using data from probes like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This will reveal whether the structures formed recently (hundreds of thousands of years ago) or in the distant past (2–3 billion years ago), when Mars was warmer and wetter. Future missions, including a potential sample return by Perseverancein 2031, will test these regions for organic molecules.

The findings will also aid crewed missions, such as SpaceX or NASA plans for the 2030s. Understanding ice processes is vital for locating water and building Martian bases.