By: Efran Zhao
Living on Mars is no joke. With fluctuating temperatures from –116° to 95° Fahrenheit, a weak ozone layer to hold back the powerful UV radiation, and frequent dust storms that can reach up to 100 miles per hour, dreams about living on the surface of Mars are quickly dashed. A safer and less risky way to live on Mars would have to be underground.
Researchers have found nine possible subterranean cave locations suitable for astronauts to live in on Mars. These findings were presented at the Geological Society of America Connects 2022 meeting in Denver.
The researchers looked for locations that were underground and no further than 60 miles away from landing sites. These landing sites needed to be roughly below 3,300 feet to give spacecraft more time to slow down after entering Mars’ atmosphere.
The underground caves can act as a buffer against some of the harsh conditions on the surface of Mars. According to Nicole Bardabelias, a geoscientist at the University of Arizona, “Everything at the surface is subject to harsh radiation, possible meteorite or micrometeorite bombardment and really large day-to-night temperature swings.”
The caves were found by the HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera that is onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Out of the 139 apparent caves found that satisfied the criteria, Ms. Bardabelias’ team examined each one and narrowed the list manually down to nine.
These caves, the largest one even bigger than a football field, all need to be examined more, says Ms. Bardabelias, but no current mars rover is close enough to be able to explore them.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/29/science/mars-caves-astronauts.html