While the manned mission to Mars is being discussed hotly on the Internet, on the other side are Jinling and Xia Shu Space Base.
In Academician Chang Huaxiang's office, Xu Chuan was sitting on the sofa, holding a stack of information in his hand and flipping through it with interest.
These data are the first batch of observation data returned by various types of detectors and rovers launched to the surface of Mars during the previous unmanned landing project of the Fuyao space shuttle.
For example, the orbiter is equipped with a medium-resolution camera, a high-resolution camera, a subsurface detection radar, a Mars mineral spectrum detector, a Mars magnetometer, a Mars ion and neutral particle analyzer, a Mars energy particle analyzer, etc.
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Overall, they delivered more than double digits of experimental equipment at the end of March, and now they are sending back a large amount of data one after another.
Among them, there are about 20 of the most valuable or characteristic detection results that have been initially sorted out by the Xinghai Research Institute and Aerospace Research Institute.
Of course, this does not mean that only these 20 pieces of data were collected during the Mars exploration, but that there are at least 20 pieces of data that can be determined to be of great value or potential value in preliminary analysis.
Compared with the data obtained by previous Mars explorations, their collection this time can simply subvert everyone's understanding of the planet Mars.
For each of these key reports in his hand, he could write at least one paper and publish it in top TOP journals such as Nature and Science.
Although it is currently impossible for them to compile these detection data into papers and publish them, this also reflects the value of these data from the side.
Among the twenty key detection reports, the one that concerns Xu Chuan the most is the detection data of the Martian environment.
For example, the first report comes from the Yinghuo-3 probe's detection of the Mariner Grand Canyon on Mars.
This is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders on Mars, known for its majestic scale and deep incisions, making it the largest canyon system in the solar system.
It is about 4,500 kilometers long, 200 kilometers wide, and an astonishing 8 kilometers deep. It borders the Noctis Labyrinth to the west and enters a large chaotic terrain to the east.
Its length is about the same distance from Mohe City in the north of China to Sansha City in the south China Sea. If it were moved from Mars to the Earth, it could span almost any country in the world.
Under normal circumstances, geologists believe that Valles Marineris was formed about 3.5 billion years ago due to the continuous uplift of the Sahis volcanic province where Olympus Mons is located on Mars, which caused the tensile collapse of the Martian crust in the adjacent area, resulting in the formation of geological faults.
of.
Just like the Great Rift Valley in Africa today, perhaps in hundreds of millions of years, the East African Great Rift Valley will form a landscape as majestic as the Mariner Grand Canyon.
However, some scholars believe that the Mariner Grand Canyon was formed by craters and earthquakes caused by ancient water erosion or giant meteorite impacts.
But for Xu Chuan, how the Mariner Grand Canyon was formed is not very important at the moment.
What matters is a picture in his hand.
That is a photograph of the Candle Canyon, the narrowest point of the Mariner Grand Canyon. From the image, you can clearly see that at the bottom of the canyon where the sun does not shine, there is a landform composed of ice flowers and water clay minerals.
It looks somewhat similar to the permafrost on Earth near the North and South Poles. The ice on the surface presents smooth waves, reflecting the light emitted by the Yinghuo-3 detector.
"Is this...water ice?"
Looking away from the photo on the report, Xu Chuan looked at the analysis report attached to the picture with interest and asked casually.
Opposite the sofa, Academician Chang Huaxiang nodded with a smile and said: "Yes, the data transmitted back by the Yinghuo 3 detector has confirmed that the bottom of the Mariner Grand Canyon is at least in the Kande Canyon detected this time.
There are vast resources of water ice."
"And judging from the data transmitted back by the elemental analysis equipment, these water ice resources permanently frozen in the darkness at the bottom of the canyon are fresh water. In theory, they can be directly mined and applied."
Judging from various equipment installed on the Yinghuo-3 detector, such as elemental analyzers and mineral spectrum detectors, the results are already very obvious.
There are a large amount of water ice resources at the bottom of Mariner Grand Canyon and Candle Canyon.
These water resources are hidden at the bottom of the canyon that was previously undetectable by humans, and have also escaped the blowing of the solar wind and the melting flow caused by temperature changes.
Hearing this, Xu Chuan asked with interest: "Is there any result on the specific number?"
Chang Huaxiang shook his head and said: "The water ice resources in the Kande Canyon are unevenly distributed. Some places have a relatively large content, and some places have a low content. I am afraid that the exact amount of these water ice resources will have to wait until complete scanning and exploration.
Only then can we be sure.”
"However, based on simple statistics from the data transmitted so far, the water ice resources in the Kande Canyon detected this time are about 20 million cubic meters."
Although this is not the first time that water resources have been clearly discovered on Mars.
For example, from the very beginning of the exploration of Mars, we have known that the north and south poles of Mars will condense with seasonal changes in large amounts of water ice and dry ice resources.
Also in 2018, an ESA team led by Italian scientist Professor Orosei announced that a large underground lake 20 kilometers wide was discovered under the ice cap of the South Pole of Mars.
This is the first time that humans have determined the existence of liquid water on Mars, although this underground lake is cold and salty and is a "brine".
As early as 21 years ago, a Mars exploration project jointly carried out by the European Space Agency and the Russian Aerospace Corporation discovered a water-bearing zone underground in the central area of the Mariner Canyon on Mars.
Based on observational data, it is inferred that the entire aquifer is equivalent to the size of the Netherlands, and the water inside the aquifer may exist in the form of ice or hydrous minerals.
This news caused quite a stir around the world at the time.
But this time, the large amount of water ice resources they discovered at the bottom of Kande Canyon is still epic!
First of all, it is the first time that water resources have been clearly detected on the surface of Mars beyond the north and south poles.
Secondly, the water resources in the Kande Canyon are of great value.
The reason is simple, it is relatively easy to mine and utilize!
And it’s a fresh water resource!
For the future development of Mars and the establishment of outpost scientific research stations, its value is far greater than the water ice resources at the north and south levels and the underground lakes discovered by Italian scholars.
His eyes fell on the report document in his hand. After looking at it for a while, Xu Chuan suddenly raised his head, looked at Academician Chang Huaxiang, and asked: "Regarding the detection of water ice resources in Kande Canyon, do you have the complete data here?"
"Yes, but it needs to be printed."
Chang Huaxiang nodded, called his assistant, and asked her to print out two complete sets of Kander Canyon detection data.
After waiting for a short while, the assistant quickly walked over with a thick stack of newly printed documents in his hands.
After receiving the complete Kande Canyon exploration data from his assistant, Xu Chuan couldn't wait to read through it.
Opposite the sofa, Academician Chang Huaxiang also took another detailed exploration data from his assistant and asked curiously while flipping through it.
"What's wrong? What did you find?"
Xu Chuan replied without raising his head: "A little guess, maybe the detailed exploration data of Kande Canyon can provide some clues."
"What guess?"
"There is speculation that there may be underground water layers hidden throughout Mars under the surface of Mars."
Hearing this answer, Chang Huaxiang looked over in surprise and couldn't help but ask: "Are there underground water layers all over Mars?"
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "Yes, I have read NASA's exploration data on Mars before and studied the historical transformation of Mars."
"There is a lot of evidence that Mars was a wet planet billions of years ago, with a lot of surface water."
"However, over time, the core of Mars may have gradually lowered its temperature for some unknown reason, lost most of its magnetic field, and eventually lost its atmosphere, pressure and heat due to the blowing of solar wind and cosmic rays."
"In this case, the water resources on the surface of Mars can no longer remain liquid and will disappear."
Chang Huaxiang asked curiously: "But usually, isn't it generally believed that surface water resources on Mars will escape into space after losing the protection of the atmosphere and magnetic field?"
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "Theoretically, that's the case, but what if the situation is special?"
"special?"
"Um."
His eyes flicked through the Kande Canyon exploration data report. After finding what he wanted, Xu Chuan curled up the corner of his mouth and continued.
"Look at this, the soil composition of Candle Canyon."
Following what Xu Chuan pointed out, Chang Huaxiang quickly found the soil composition data of Kande Canyon.
"Peridot...montmorillonite, chlorite, the total proportion reaches about 76.21%...What's wrong with this data?"
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Peridot...montmorillonite, chlorite, these minerals have a certain relationship in the geological weathering process. The latter is transformed from the former through serpentinization.
of."
"Clay minerals such as montmorillonite and chlorite formed during the transformation process are flake minerals with a large number of gaps between their atomic structures."
"That's where the clay's adsorption power comes from and what I call a special case."
After a slight pause, he continued: "It is undeniable that after the surface liquid ocean on Mars experienced the loss of magnetic field and atmosphere, a large part escaped into space under the influence of solar wind and cosmic radiation."
"But I think that thanks to the special soil structure on the surface of Mars, the soil of Mars has been absorbing a large amount of water resources from the liquid ocean on the surface for a long time."
"These water resources penetrate into the ground through clay-based flake minerals, forming scattered or integrated underground water systems in the interstitial underground structure."
"And for a long period of time, even if the water resources on the surface continue to escape and dissipate, the water ice resources under the surface soil may still exist."
"Judging from the current exploration data, the soil composition data at the bottom of Kande Canyon has confirmed my speculation to a certain extent."
His eyes fell on the exploration report in his hand. Academician Chang Huaxiang thought for a moment and said: "You mean that the underground of Mars may have a large amount of water resources like the earth."
"Even an underground ocean that spreads across the entire planet?"
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "It is possible, but it must be considered based on the overall geological investigation of Mars."
"in addition....."
After a pause, he then opened the second survey data on the soil on the surface of Mars, and continued: "In addition to the adsorption of water resources, the composition of surface rocks and soil on Mars also plays an important role in theory.
.”
"What does it do?"
"Adsorb Martian carbon dioxide and lock the atmosphere to generate methane!"
Xu Chuan opened his mouth and spat out a sentence: "It is very likely that the atmosphere on Mars did not completely disappear and escape into the universe, but was locked by the soil. They may still exist!"
Upon hearing this explanation, Chang Huaxiang looked over in surprise and said, "Your idea is almost completely contrary to the mainstream theory."
Human beings have never stopped exploring and investigating Mars since they were able to observe Mars.
The current mainstream accepted theory is that Mars may have been a planet with a thick atmosphere and liquid water oceans like the Earth billions of years ago.
But as the core of Mars gradually cools, the magnetic field weakens significantly, and the strong solar wind can directly blow away atmospheric molecules on the surface of Mars.
Over a long period of time, countless amounts of gas are blown away by the solar wind every moment.
Especially in the early stages of the formation of the solar system, solar storms occurred more frequently.
When a solar storm hits the Martian atmosphere, the atmospheric escape rate will increase by about 10 to 20% or more.
It's like someone blowing your hair with a hair dryer and you can't stop it.
Generally speaking, the academic community almost accepts that the disappearance of the Martian atmosphere is that the atmosphere escaped and disappeared into the universe.
But now, the person in front of me has come up with another idea that can be said to be 'unbelievable'.
He actually believed that not all of the atmosphere of Mars might have escaped and dissipated into the universe, but that a large amount of it was stored in the soil and rocks on the surface of Mars.
Even he felt that this 'outrageous' idea was a bit unreliable.