China's Ambitious Mars Mapping Project: A New Geologic Map by 2028
China is embarking on an ambitious project to create a new-generation geologic map of Mars, with a deadline of the end of 2028. This ambitious endeavor aims to reconstruct the red planet's watery past and introduce a Chinese system for dividing Martian geologic time. Hou Zengqian, an esteemed academician and chief scientist of the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, revealed this plan at a recent symposium.
The project's primary focus is on utilizing data from the Tianwen-1 mission, which successfully landed the rover Zhurong on Mars in 2021. Zhurong has provided valuable insights into Mars' water history, including evidence of a vast ancient ocean and short-lived floods. These findings will be crucial in filling gaps in our understanding of Mars' climate evolution and will be incorporated into the new geologic map.
The map will also introduce a Chinese scheme for dividing Martian geologic time, which currently relies on the Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian periods defined by crater density. China aims to make its new system an international consensus, challenging the existing timeline. This project will leverage data from Tianwen-1, as well as U.S. and ESA Mars probe data, to create a comprehensive global database.
Artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in interpreting this vast amount of data. Geologists' expertise will be integrated into large models through rule engines to ensure explainability. Multi-scale attention techniques will enable progressive feature extraction, from local mineral identification to global tectonic unit division. The deliverables will include a 1:5 million-scale Martian geologic map, a detailed 1:50,000-scale map of the landing area, and thematic atlases.
This project is a significant milestone for China's planetary exploration program. Geologic mapping has been a core task of the Institute of Geology for 70 years, contributing to regional, national, lunar, and now Martian charts. Director Yang Zhiming emphasizes that this work provides the scientific foundation for decision-making in planetary exploration, guiding where to go, what to explore, and why.
The implications of this project are far-reaching. By creating a new geologic map and timeline, China is not only advancing our understanding of Mars but also establishing its expertise in planetary science. This project will serve as a template for future mapping of the moon, Venus, and asteroids, solidifying China's position as a leading player in space exploration and scientific research.
