Ibheka abafokazi ku-Mars. Uma kwakukhona ukuphila, mhlawumbe kwasinda?

I-Mars inakho konke okudingekayo ukuze ukuphila kube khona. Ukuhlaziywa kwama-meteorite avela ku-Mars kubonisa ukuthi kunezinto ezingaphansi komhlaba ezingasekela ukuphila, okungenani okungama-microorganisms. Kwezinye izindawo, amagciwane asemhlabeni nawo ahlala ezimeni ezifanayo.

Muva nje, abacwaningi baseBrown University baye bafunda ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali e-Martian meteorites - izingcezu zamatshe ezajikijelwa eMars zaphelela eMhlabeni. Ukuhlaziywa kwabonisa ukuthi lawa matshe angahlangana namanzi. ukukhiqiza amandla amakhemikhaliokuvumela ama-microorganisms ukuthi aphile, njengasekujuleni okukhulu eMhlabeni.

Wafunda ama-meteorite bangase, ngokusho kososayensi, bakha isampula elimele ingxenye enkulu uqweqwe lwe-marslokhu kusho ukuthi ingxenye ebalulekile yengaphakathi leplanethi ilungele ukusekela ukuphila. “Okutholakele okubalulekile ocwaningweni lwesayensi lwezendlalelo ezingaphansi komhlaba yilokho nomaphi lapho kukhona amanzi angaphansi komhlaba ku-Marskunethuba elihle lokufinyelela ngokwanele amandla amakhemikhaliukusimamisa impilo yamagciwane,” kusho uJesse Tarnas, inhloko yethimba labacwaningi, enkulumweni yabezindaba.

Emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule, kuye kwatholakala eMhlabeni ukuthi izinto eziphilayo eziningi zihlala ekujuleni ngaphansi komhlaba futhi, zincishwa ukufinyelela ekukhanyeni, zidonsa amandla azo emikhiqizweni yokusabela kwamakhemikhali okwenzeka lapho amanzi ehlangana namadwala. Enye yalokhu kusabela iwukuba i-radiolysis. Lokhu kwenzeka lapho izakhi ezikhipha imisebe edwaleni zenza amangqamuzana amanzi ahlukane abe i-hydrogen nomoya-mpilo. I-hydrogen ekhululiwe incibilika emanzini akhona endaweni kanye namanye amaminerali afana I-Pyrite amunca umoya-mpilo ukuze enze isibabule.

bangamunca i-hydrogen encibilikisiwe emanzini futhi bayisebenzise njengophethiloli ngokusabela nomoya-mpilo ovela kuma-sulfate. Ngokwesibonelo, eCanada Imayini ye-Kidd Creek (1) Lezi zinhlobo zamagciwane zitholakale cishe amakhilomitha amabili ukushona emanzini lapho ilanga lingakaze lingene khona eminyakeni engaphezu kwesigidigidi.

1. Irobhothi leBoston Dynamics lihlola imayini

I-Kidd Creek

W I-Martian meteorite abacwaningi bathole izinto ezidingekayo ukuze kwenziwe i-radiolysis ngamanani anele ukusekela ukuphila. ngakho-ke izindawo zasendulo zokuphahlazeka azikashintshi kuze kube manje.

Ucwaningo lwangaphambili lubonisiwe iminonjana yezinhlelo zamanzi angaphansi komhlaba asebenzayo emhlabeni. Kukhona futhi kungenzeka ukuthi izinhlelo ezinjalo zisekhona nanamuhla. Olunye ucwaningo lwakamuva lubonise, isibonelo, ukuthi kungenzeka kube nechibi elingaphansi komhlaba ngaphansi kweqhwa. Kuze kube manje, ukuhlola kwe-subsoil kuzoba nzima kunokuhlola, kodwa, ngokusho kwabalobi be-athikili, lokhu akuwona umsebenzi esingakwazi ukubhekana nawo.

Izinkomba zamakhemikhali

In 1976 Ngonyaka NASA Viking 1 (2) yehlela ethafeni laseChryse Planitia. Ibe ngumhlali wokuqala ukufika ngempumelelo ku-Mars. "Izinkomba zokuqala zavela lapho sithola izithombe zeViking ezibonisa izimpawu eziqoshiwe eMhlabeni, ngokuvamile ngenxa yemvula," esho. Alexander Hayes, umqondisi we-Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, engxoxweni ne-Inverse. “Unesikhathi eside ekhona kuMars amanzi awuketsheziowaqopha ubuso futhi wagcwalisa imigodi, wenza amachibi".

AmaViking 1 no-2 babe "namalabhorethri" amancane esayensi yezinkanyezi ukuze benze ucwaningo lwabo lokuhlola. iminonjana yokuphila ku-Mars. Ukuhlolwa kwe-Tagged Ejection kwakuhilela ukuxuba amasampula amancane enhlabathi ye-Martian namaconsi amanzi aqukethe isixazululo sezakhi nokunye. Isebenze ikhoni funda izinto ezingamagesi ezingakheka izinto eziphilayo ku-Mars.

Ucwaningo lwesampula lomhlabathi lubonise izimpawu ze-metabolismkodwa ososayensi abazange bavumelane ngokuthi lo mphumela wawuwuphawu oluqinisekile yini lokuthi kwakukhona ukuphila kuyi-Mars, ngoba igesi yayingakhiqizwa enye into ngaphandle kokuphila. Isibonelo, ingaphinda isebenze inhlabathi ngokudala igesi. Olunye ucwaningo olwenziwe yimishini yamaViking lubheke imikhondo yezinto eziphilayo futhi alutholanga lutho. Eminyakeni engamashumi amane kamuva, ososayensi baphatha lokhu kuhlola kokuqala ngokungabaza.

Ngo-December 1984 V. Allan Hills Isiqephu se-Mars sitholwe e-Antarctica. , yayinesisindo esingamakhilogremu amane futhi ngokunokwenzeka yayivela kuyi-Mars ngaphambi kokuba kungqubuzane kwasendulo kuyisuse phezulu. iplanethi ebomvu emhlabeni.

Ngo-1996, iqembu lososayensi labheka ngaphakathi kwesiqephu se-meteorite futhi bathola into emangalisayo. Ngaphakathi kwe-meteorite, bathola izakhiwo ezifana nalezo ezingakhiwa amagciwane (3) kutholwe kahle ukuba khona kwezinto eziphilayo. Izimangalo zokuqala zokuphila kuyi-Mars azizange zamukelwe kabanzi njengoba ososayensi bathole ezinye izindlela zokuhumusha izakhiwo ezingaphakathi kwe-meteorite, bephikisana ngokuthi ukuba khona kwezinto eziphilayo kungase kubangele ukungcoliswa kwezinto ezivela eMhlabeni.

3. I-Micrograph ye-Martian meteorite

ULwesibili 2008 umoya okhohlisayo wakhubeka esimeni esiyinqaba esivela endaweni ye-Martian e-Gusev crater. Isakhiwo sibizwa ngokuthi "i-cauliflower" ngenxa yesimo sayo (4). Enjalo Emhlabeni ukwakheka kwe-silica kuhlotshaniswa nomsebenzi we-microbial. Abanye abantu basheshe bacabanga ukuthi bakhiwe amagciwane e-Martian. Kodwa-ke, zingabuye zenziwe ngezinqubo ezingezona ezebhayoloji njenge ukuguguleka komoya.

Cishe eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva, ephethwe yi-NASA Lasik Curiosity bathola imikhondo yesibabule, i-nitrogen, umoya-mpilo, i-phosphorus kanye ne-carbon (izithako ezibalulekile) ngenkathi bemba edwaleni laseMartian. I-rover iphinde yathola ama-sulfate nama-sulfide ayengase asetshenziswe njengokudla kwamagciwane ku-Mars ezinkulungwaneni zezigidi zeminyaka edlule.

Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi izinhlobo zakudala zamagciwane kungenzeka zithole amandla anele udla martian rocks. Amaminerali aphinde abonise ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali amanzi ngokwawo ngaphambi kokuba ahwamuke e-Mars. Ngokusho kukaHayes, kuphephile ukuthi abantu baphuze.

4I-'cauliflower' yaseMartian ithwetshiwe

I-spirit rover

Ngo-2018, iCuriosity iphinde yathola ubufakazi obengeziwe ukuba khona kwe-methane emkhathini weMartian. Lokhu kuqinisekise ukubonwa kwangaphambilini kwamanani omkhondo we-methane yiwo womabili ama-orbiters nama-rover. Emhlabeni, i-methane ibhekwa njengesignesha yezinto eziphilayo kanye nophawu lokuphila. I-gaseous methane ayihlali isikhathi eside ngemva kokukhiqizwa.ukwehlela kwamanye ama-molecule. Imiphumela yocwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi inani le-methane ku-Mars liyakhula futhi liyehla kuye ngesizini. Lokhu kwenza ososayensi bakholelwa nakakhulu ukuthi i-methane ikhiqizwa izinto eziphilayo kuyi-Mars. Nokho, abanye bakholelwa ukuthi i-methane ingakhiqizwa kuyi-Mars kusetshenziswa ikhemikhali engaziwa okwamanje.

NgoMeyi walo nyaka, i-NASA yamemezela, ngokusekelwe ekuhlaziyweni kwedatha yeSample Analysis at Mars (SAM), Ilebhu yekhemistri ephathwayo ngaphakathi kweCuriosityukuthi usawoti wezinto eziphilayo cishe ukhona ku-Mars, okungase kunikeze eminye imikhondo kulokhu Iplanethi Ebomvu kwake kwaba khona ukuphila.

Ngokwencwadi ekhuluma ngale ndaba kuyi-Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, usawoti wezinto eziphilayo njenge-iron, i-calcium, ne-magnesium oxalates nama-acetates angase abe yinsada ezinhlakeni ezingaphezulu ku-Mars. Lawa sawoti yizinsalela zamakhemikhali ezinhlanganisela eziphilayo. Kuhleliwe I-European Space Agency i-ExoMars rover, efakwe ikhono lokubhola kuze kufike ekujuleni okungaba amamitha amabili, izofakelwa lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ithuluzi Goddardozohlaziya ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali kwezingqimba ezijulile zenhlabathi ye-Martian futhi ngokunokwenzeka afunde okwengeziwe ngalezi zinto eziphilayo.

I-rover entsha ifakwe imishini yokusesha imikhondo yempilo

Kusukela ngeminyaka yama-70s, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nezimishini, ubufakazi obuningi buye babonisa lokho I-Mars yayingaba nokuphila emlandweni wayo wokuqalalapho iplanethi iyizwe elinomswakama nelifudumele. Nokho, kuze kube manje, akukho nokukodwa kokutholwe okunikeze ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuba khona kokuphila kukaMartian, esikhathini esidlule noma samanje.

Kusukela ngoFebhuwari 2021, ososayensi bafuna ukuthola lezi zimpawu zokuqala zokuphila. Ngokungafani nomanduleli wayo, iCuriosity rover enelabhorethri ye-MSL ebhodini, ihlonyiselwe ukusesha nokuthola imikhondo enjalo.

Ukubekezela kuhlaba umgodi wechibi, cishe amakhilomitha angu-40 ububanzi namamitha angu-500 ukujula, iyintaba-mlilo etholakala endaweni esenyakatho yenkabazwe yaseMartian. I-Jezero Crater yake yaba nechibi okwakulinganiselwa ukuthi loma phakathi neminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3,5 nezingu-3,8 edlule, okwenza kube indawo ekahle yokubheka iminonjana yezilwanyana ezincane zasendulo ezazingahlala emanzini aleli chibi. Ukubekezela ngeke kugcine ngokufunda amatshe e-Martian, kodwa futhi kuqoqe amasampula edwala futhi awagcinele umsebenzi wesikhathi esizayo wokubuyela eMhlabeni, lapho azohlaziywa khona elabhorethri.

5. Ukubona ngeso lengqondo ukusebenza kweSuperCam ku-Perseverance rover.

Ukuzingela kwe-Biosignature iphathelene noxhaxha lwamakhamera we-rover namanye amathuluzi, ikakhulukazi i-Mastcam-Z (etholakala kunsika ye-rover), engasondeza ukuze ihlole okuqondiwe okuthakazelisa ngokwesayensi.

Ithimba lesayensi yemishini lingasebenzisa ithuluzi. ukuphikelela kwe-supercam ukuqondisa i-laser beam endaweni okuhloswe kuyo intshisekelo (5), okudala ifu elincane lezinto eziguquguqukayo, ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali okungahlaziywa. Uma le datha ithembisa, iqembu lokulawula linganikeza umcwaningi umyalelo. Ingalo yerobhothi ye-roveryenza ucwaningo olunzulu. Ingalo ifakwe, phakathi kwezinye izinto, i-PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry), esebenzisa umsebe we-X ray oqinile ukuze ibheke imikhondo yamakhemikhali engaba khona ekuphileni.

Elinye ithuluzi elibizwa SHERLOCK (ukuskena izindawo okuhlalwa kuzo kusetshenziswa i-Raman scattering kanye ne-luminescence yezinto eziphilayo namakhemikhali), ifakwe i-laser yayo futhi ikwazi ukubona ukugxila kwama-molecule namaminerali akha endaweni ehlala emanzini. Ndawonye, SHERLOCK i I-PIXEL Kulindeleke ukuthi banikeze amamephu anokulungiswa okuphezulu kwezakhi, amaminerali kanye nezinhlayiya emadwaleni ase-Martian kanye nenzinga, okuvumela izazi zezinkanyezi ukuthi zihlole ukwakheka kwazo futhi zihlonze amasampula athembisa kakhulu azoqoqwa.

I-NASA manje isithatha indlela ehlukile yokuthola amagciwane kunangaphambili. Ngokungafani landa i-vikingUkuphikelela ngeke kubheke izimpawu zamakhemikhali ze-metabolism. Kunalokho, izontweza phezu kwe-Mars ifuna amadiphozithi. Angase aqukathe izidalwa ezifile kakade, ngakho-ke i-metabolism ayikho embuzweni, kodwa ukwakheka kwawo kwamakhemikhali kungasitshela okuningi mayelana nempilo edlule kule ndawo. Amasampula aqoqwe yi-Perseverance badinga ukuqoqwa futhi babuyiselwe eMhlabeni ukuze benze umsebenzi wesikhathi esizayo. Ukuhlaziywa kwabo kuzokwenziwa kuma-laboratories angaphansi. Ngakho-ke, kucatshangelwa ukuthi ubufakazi bokugcina bokuba khona kwama-Martians bangaphambili buzovela eMhlabeni.

Ososayensi banethemba lokuthola isici esingaphezulu kuyi-Mars esingenakuchazwa yinoma yini enye ngaphandle kokuba khona kwezinto eziphilayo zasendulo ezinamagciwane. Enye yalezi zakhiwo ezicatshangelwayo ingase ibe into efana nale i-stromatolite.

I phansi, i-stromatolite (6) izindunduma zamadwala ezakhiwe ama-microorganisms eduze nogu lwasendulo nakwezinye izindawo lapho kwakukhona amandla amaningi okugaya kanye namanzi.

Amanzi amaningi awazange aye emkhathini

Asikaqinisekisi ukuthi kukhona ukuphila esikhathini esidlule esijulile se-Mars, kodwa sisazibuza ukuthi yini eyayingabangela ukushabalala kwayo (uma ukuphila kwanyamalala ngempela, futhi akuzange kujule ngaphansi komhlaba, isibonelo). Isisekelo sokuphila, okungenani njengoba sisazi, singamanzi. Kulinganiselwe ekuqaleni kwe-mars yayingaqukatha amanzi amaningi awuketshezi kangangokuthi ingavala yonke indawo yayo ngongqimba olusuka ku-100 kuya ku-1500 m. Nokho, namuhla iMars ifana nogwadule olomile.futhi ososayensi basazama ukuthola ukuthi yini ebangele lezi zinguquko.

Ososayensi bazama, isibonelo, ukuchaza kanjani i-mars ilahlekelwe amanzilokho kwakusebusweni bayo ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka edlule. Esikhathini esiningi, kwakucatshangwa ukuthi amanzi amaningi e-Mars asendulo ayephume emkhathini ayongena emkhathini. Cishe ngaso leso sikhathi, i-Mars yayisizolahlekelwa amandla ayo kazibuthe eplanethi, ivikela umkhathi wayo ejezini lezinhlayiyana eziphuma eLangeni. Ngemva kokulahlekelwa amandla kazibuthe ngenxa yesenzo seLanga, umkhathi weMartian waqala ukunyamalala.amanzi anyamalala nawo. Amanzi amaningi alahlekile ngabe avaleleke emadwaleni oqweqwe lweplanethi, ngokusho kocwaningo olusha lweNASA.

Ososayensi bahlaziya iqoqo ledatha eqoqwe ngesikhathi kufundwa i-Mars eminyakeni eminingi, futhi ngokusekelwe kukho, nokho, bafinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi ukukhululwa kwamanzi emkhathini emkhathini, inesibopho kuphela sokunyamalala kwamanzi ngokwengxenye endaweni ye-Martian. Izibalo zabo zikhombisa ukuthi amanzi amaningi ashodayo njengamanje ahlanganiswe nezimbiwa phansi oqweqweni lweplanethi. Imiphumela yalokhu kuhlaziya yethulwa Evie Sheller evela e-Caltech nethimba lakhe ku-52nd Planetary and Lunar Science Conference (LPSC). I-athikili efingqa imiphumela yalo msebenzi yashicilelwa kumagazini i-Nauka.

Ezifundweni, ukunakwa okukhethekile kwakhokhelwa ukuya ocansini. okuqukethwe kwe-deuterium (i-isotope ye-hydrogen esindayo) ku-hydrogen. UDUTERONOMI kwenzeka ngokwemvelo emanzini cishe ngamaphesenti angu-0,02. ngokumelene nokuba khona kwe-hydrogen "evamile". I-hydrogen evamile, ngenxa yobuningi bayo be-athomu ephansi, kulula ukuphuma emkhathini iye emkhathini. Isilinganiso esandayo se-deuterium ne-hydrogen sisitshela ngokungaqondile ukuthi laliyini ijubane lokuphuma kwamanzi esuka kuyi-Mars eya emkhathini.

Ososayensi baphethe ngokuthi isilinganiso esibonwayo se-deuterium ne-hydrogen kanye nobufakazi be-geological bobuningi bamanzi esikhathini esidlule se-Martian bubonisa ukuthi ukulahlekelwa kwamanzi eplanethi kwakungeke kwenzeke ngenxa yokuphunyuka komkhathi esikhathini esidlule se-Martian. isikhala. Ngakho-ke, kuye kwahlongozwa umshini oxhumanisa ukuphuma kwawo nomkhathi nokubanjwa kwamanzi athile emadwaleni. Ngokusebenza emadwaleni, amanzi avumela ubumba namanye amaminerali anamanzi ukuthi akheke. Inqubo efanayo yenzeka eMhlabeni.

Nokho, eplanethini yethu, ukusebenza kwamapuleti e-tectonic kuholela eqinisweni lokuthi izingcezu ezindala zoqweqwe lomhlaba olunamaminerali anamanzi ziyancibilika zibe yingubo, bese amanzi aphumayo aphonswa emuva emkhathini ngenxa yezinqubo zentaba-mlilo. Ku-Mars ngaphandle kwama-tectonic plate, ukugcinwa kwamanzi oqweqweni lomhlaba kuyinqubo engenakuhlehliswa.

I-Inner Martian Lake District

Saqala ngempilo engaphansi komhlaba futhi sizobuyela kuyo ekugcineni. Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi indawo yayo yokuhlala ekahle ku izimo zamasosha amadamu ayengafihlwa ekujuleni ngaphansi kwezingqimba zenhlabathi neqhwa. Eminyakeni emibili edlule, ososayensi bamaplanethi bamemezela ukutholakala kwechibi elikhulu amanzi anosawoti ngaphansi kweqhwa eSouth Pole of Marsokwahlangatshezwa nomdlandla ngakolunye uhlangothi, kodwa futhi nokungabaza okuthile.

Kodwa-ke, ngo-2020, abacwaningi baphinde baqinisekisa ukuba khona kwaleli chibi futhi bathola abanye abathathu. Okutholakele, okubikwa kumagazini i-Nature Astronomy, kwenziwa kusetshenziswa ukwaziswa kwe-radar okuvela emkhathini we-Mars Express. "Sihlonze ichibi lamanzi elifanayo nelatholwa ngaphambili, kodwa saphinde sathola nezinye izindawo zokugcina amanzi ezintathu eduze nedamu elikhulu," kusho usosayensi weplanethi u-Elena Pettinelli waseNyuvesi yaseRoma, ongomunye wababhali ababambisene nalolu cwaningo. "Kuwuhlelo oluyinkimbinkimbi." Amachibi asabalale endaweni engaba amakhilomitha-skwele ayizinkulungwane ezingama-75. Lena indawo ecishe ilingane nengxenye yesihlanu yeJalimane. Ichibi elikhulu kunawo wonke elimaphakathi linobubanzi obungamakhilomitha angama-30 futhi lizungezwe amachibi amathathu amancane, ngalinye lingamakhilomitha ambalwa ububanzi.

7. Ukubona ngeso lengqondo amadamu angaphansi komhlaba e-Martian

emachibini angaphansi kweqhwa, isibonelo e-Antarctica. Nokho, inani likasawoti elikhona ezimweni zeMartian lingaba yinkinga. Kukholakala ukuthi amachibi angaphansi komhlaba kuma-mars (7) kumele kube nosawoti omningi ukuze amanzi ahlale ewuketshezi. Ukushisa okuvela ngaphakathi kwe-Mars kungasebenza ekujuleni ngaphansi komhlaba, kodwa lokhu kukodwa, ososayensi bathi akwanele ukuncibilikisa iqhwa. “Ngokombono oshisayo, la manzi kufanele abe nosawoti omningi,” kusho uPettinelli. Amachibi anosawoti ophindwe kahlanu kunosawoti wamanzi olwandle angakwazi ukusekela ukuphila, kodwa lapho ukugxila kusondela izikhathi eziphindwe ka-XNUMX kunosawoti wamanzi olwandle, ukuphila akukho.

Uma ekugcineni singayithola impilo kuma-mars futhi uma ucwaningo lwe-DNA lubonisa ukuthi izinto eziphilayo eziphila eMartian zihlobene nezoMhlaba, lokhu okutholakele kungase kuguqule umbono wethu ngemvelaphi yokuphila ngokujwayelekile, kuguqule umbono wethu usuke eMhlabeni kuphela uye eMhlabeni. Uma ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi ama-Martian alien awahlangene nempilo yethu futhi avela ngokuzimela ngokuphelele, lokhu kungasho futhi uguquko. Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi ukuphila emkhathini kuvamile njengoba kwavela ngokuzimela eplanethini yokuqala eseduze noMhlaba.