2026-07-01 ICARUS 2026 452(卷), null(期), (null页)
The possibility of discovering evidence for life on Mars could be linked to its terrain and climate. A striking feature observed by planetary scientists is the polygonal cracks found on the surface of Mars. Deciphering the formation mechanism of these cracks can shed light on Martian early climatic conditions and geological history. This study aims to unravel the formation mechanisms of Mars intermediate-sized cracks (MICs) through a detailed comparison with multi-scale Earth desiccation cracks (EDCs), offering new insights into the geological processes and climatic conditions of early Mars. The integration of deep learning principles with quantitative analysis offers new insights into the morphological similarities between EDCs and MICs. The comprehensive analysis reveals that the investigated MICs exhibit characteristics indicative of water drying process similar to EDCs, further providing additional evidence of liquid water activity and an extreme arid climate in Martian early history. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the region of Mars under investigation underwent periods of heightened hydrological activity and warmer conditions in the past compared to current observations. This study provides a novel perspective on the significant loss of liquid water on Mars, which not only enriches the understanding of Martian hydrological history, but also has significant implications for the search for extraterrestrial life.