Scientists have been aware of the fact that Mars once had water. Missions sent by space agencies to the Red Planet have revealed cratered channels there. These are called the street or drain of Mars. Although seen from close, they are like valleys. Researchers at Brown University have found in a study that melting snow water may have played an important role in the formation of these drains. These drains on Mars are similar to those found in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica on Earth. The interesting fact is that the drains present in the valleys of Antarctica are also made due to the water of glaciers.
The research team prepared a model to know how the water would have melted on Mars. The team found that when Mars is tilted on its axis by about 35 degrees, its atmosphere becomes dense enough that ice-melting events can occur over a period of time.
The tilt of Mars on its axis keeps on changing. If the planet tilted by 35 degrees, it would start to get hot enough to melt the ice. In such a situation, the water present in the form of ice on Mars can come back in liquid form.
Significantly, when Mars was in its early stages, water used to flow there. It is believed that the water of Mars ended about 3 billion years ago. The Red Planet dried up and turned into a desert-like condition.
Research findings show that the construction of drains on Mars continued for many years. The most recent event would have happened 6 lakh 30 thousand years ago, it has been estimated. This study has been published in the journal Science. The study was based on an earlier research, in which the investigation of drains on Mars was started several decades ago.
If Mars tilts 35 degrees then water will start flowing
