Researchers Find Martian Analogue Sites in Tamil Nadu and Chile

Researchers have identified two key minerals in parts of Tamil Nadu and the Atacama Desert in Chile that share geological and chemical similarities with Mars, establishing these locations as Martian analogue sites.

Minerals and Findings

A research team from Kerala University, led by Geology Associate Professor Sajin Kumar K.S., found melanterite in Neyveli, along with gypsum in the Atacama Desert and the Tiruchirappalli Badlands in Tamil Nadu. Both minerals are hydrous sulphates that record water and rock interactions, with gypsum preserving past water environments and melanterite indicating short-lived wet, acidic, and oxidising conditions. The team used a laser Raman spectrometer supported by DST-FIST to detect the spectral fingerprints and confirm the mineral identifications. The results were published as two research papers in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

Context

Finding Earth-based analogue sites has become essential because recent studies show that data from orbiters alone cannot fully map Martian minerals without ground-level study. These sites help scientists understand past water activity and potential habitable zones on other planets to guide future space missions.