EXOMHYDR – Magmatic plumbing systems and tectonic control of hydrothermal activity on Mars revealed by ExoMars/TGO: constraints for life and resources
Taking the opportunity provided by the appointment of the project PI as one of the Guest Investigators of the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars TGO mission, and in close cooperation with the other TGO scientific activities, EXOMHYDR will investigate the subsurface geology (plumbing system) of hydrothermal sites in the large volcanic provinces of Mars, bringing decisive constraints on whether biological activity can be anticipated in the present or past of Mars in the subsurface. The characteristics and environment of these hydrothermal sites may additionally help predict what kind of resources can be expected to be available on Mars for the next steps of space exploration.