Study Now Suggests Evidence of Meteor that Generated 'Mega-tsunami' on Mars

A new study, published last month, in the Journal of Geophysical Research:Planets, now suggests that a 75-mile-wide impact scar in the northern lowlands of Mars is the mark of a meteor that generated a mega-tsunami when the planet was relatively young. If, as the new study suggests, it is accurate, it would add evidence to the hypothesis that Mars once had an ocean, which in turn would have great implications for our search of life on the Red Planet.

While Mars is a cold, dry and arid planet now, scientists have for years, believed that it must have carried water billions of years ago. According to report og The Indian Express, the research focuses on the identification of impact craters that impacted into the ocean and most likely produced the tsunami. Study experts analysed a meteor impact site called Lomonosov, which is about 120 kilometres deep, like the Chicxulub crater on Earth, and is the same height as the estimated depth of the ocean.

The impact crater strongly resembles similar marine impact sites on Earth, leading researchers to believe that it could be the ground zero for the 'mega tsunami' that could have changed the surface of Mars.

According to researchers, the hole in the southern tip of the crater could have been the result of the ocean coming back from that direction.

However, scientists have said they need more data to confirm the Mars ocean theory. If the red planet really carried ocean, the Lomonosov crater could be the point where the planet once had water.