A team of students from Blenheim High School, in collaboration with Orbyts Fellow Rebecca Warrilow from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL, have embarked on a fascinating project to unravel the mysteries of ancient rivers on Mars! Their goal was to identify regions on Mars that may have once harboured habitable conditions, offering insights into the planet's climate history and evolution, and provide insights for future human or robotic exploration of Mars.

By analysing high-resolution satellite imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the student researchers have been able to measure 16 ancient river channels. Using remote sensing methods to measure width and slope, they applied these parameters to Earth-based models that accounted for physical planetary differences and were able to reconstruct key hydrological parameters such as transported grain size, volume of water, sediment flux, and depth from fluvial activity on Mars over 3.5 billion years ago! These calculations provide valuable clues about the environmental conditions these rivers may have once supported.

Out of the 16 rivers, the one with the most promising findings is the reconstruction of the Eberswalde crater delta. From the data, the students estimated that the Eberswalde delta was likely formed by sediment transported in intermittent flows of water over a timescale of ~71,000 years. This sustained hydrological activity may have provided favourable conditions conducive to the potential development of microbial life!

While the methods used in this study have limitations and may not apply to all Martian rivers, the results offer valuable insights into the planet's past and potential for future exploration and contribute to a more complete narrative of Mars' geologic and climatic evolution. The Eberswalde crater delta, in particular, stands out as a compelling target for further investigation in the search for evidence of extra-terrestrial life!