NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — Scientists have long been puzzled by the age of Martian meteorites found on Earth, since they turn out to be much younger than expected. However, a recent study conducted by a team of scientists from the US and UK has shed light on this mystery.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances , suggests that many of these rocks are only a few hundred million years old, providing valuable insights into geological processes on Mars.
Dating Martian meteorites has proven challenging due to their complex composition. Different dating methods produce conflicting results, making it difficult to accurately determine the age of these rocks.
However, a team of scientists led by volcanologist Ben Cohen from the University of Glasgow has developed a new method to solve this problem.
“We know from certain chemical characteristics that these meteorites are definitely from Mars,” Cohen says. “But Mars has tens of thousands of impact craters, so we don’t know exactly where on the planet the meteorites came from. One of the best clues to identifying the source crater of their origin is the age of the samples.”
The researchers used a technique known as argon-argon dating, which relies on the decay of radioactive potassium into argon. By analyzing the ratio of argon isotopes in meteorite samples, scientists can calculate how long the radioactive decay took place, and thus determine the age of the rock.
To their surprise, the team discovered that many of the shergottite meteorites, which make up the majority of Martian meteorites found on Earth, are only a few hundred million years old.
This contradicts previous estimates based on the heavily cratered surface of Mars, which suggested the planet was much older.
One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that volcanic activity on Mars may have resurfaced, erasing many of the craters. As a result, the rocks ejected from Mars will also be relatively young. However, further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
The results of this study have significant implications for our understanding of the geological history of Mars and the processes that shaped the planet over time. By studying these young Martian meteorites, scientists can gain valuable information about volcanic activity and other geological events that occurred on Mars in the recent past.
“The ages of these meteorites provide insight into the recent geological history of Mars,” Cohen says. “It allows us to piece together the puzzle of what happened on the red planet over the last few hundred million years.”
This study highlights the importance of studying extraterrestrial materials to better understand neighboring planets. By analyzing Martian meteorites, scientists can unlock the secrets of Mars and potentially discover clues about the possibility of life on the red planet in the past or present.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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