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University of Houston-Clear Lake

The Climatic and Hydrologic Evolution of Water on Mars

University of Houston-Clear Lake via YouTube

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Overview

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Explore the fascinating evolution of water on Mars in this comprehensive lecture. Delve into the estimated Martian inventory of H2O, debates on early Mars climate, and potential evolution of the Martian hydrosphere. Examine Mars thermal history models, the nature of the Martian crust, and evidence of impacts into water-rich or ice-rich surfaces. Investigate inferred hydraulic conditions during different geological periods, potential paleoshorelines, and the distribution of valley networks suggesting a northern ocean. Learn about ice instability at low latitudes, potential recharge of subpermafrost groundwater, and geomorphic evidence of polar basal melting. Gain insights into the freezing of a Martian ocean and the thickening of the cryosphere, allowing for the rise of a global water table.

Syllabus

Intro
Why We Care About Water On Mars
Estimated Martian Inventory of H2O
Martian Global Inventory of H2O: -0.5 - 1 km GEL, 2 -3.5 Ga (Carr, 1986)
Early Mars: Warm or Cold?
Potential Evolution of the Martian Hydrosphere
Mars Thermal History Model: Mantle Heat Flow vs. Time 400
Nature of the Martian Crust
Gravitationally-Scaled, Globally-Averaged Porosity & Permeability Profiles for Mars
Crater with Fluidized Ejecta: Potential Indicators of Impacts into a Water-or Ice-Rich Crust
Inferred hydraulic conditions by Late Hesperian, implied by elevation of outflow channel source regions: North
Hydraulic conditions during Late Hesperian
Inferred hydraulic conditions during the Noachian 3.8 Gya after the onset of a colder climate
Geomorphic Identification of Potential Paleoshorelines in the Martian Northern Plains (Parker et al., 1987, 1989, 1993; Clifford and Parker, 2001; Parker et al., 2010)
Distribution of Valley Networks Most Readily Explained by the Existence of a Martian Northern Ocean (Soto et al., 2010)
Instability of ice at low-latitudes leads to sublimation and cold-trapping at the poles
Potential Recharge of Subpermafrost Groundwater by Polar Basal Melting
Geomorphic Evidence of Hesperian-Age Polar Basal Melting: Eskers, Valleys and the Chryse Trough Drainage System
Ocean freezes and cryosphere thickens, permitting rise of global water table

Taught by

College of Science and Engineering

Reviews

4.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

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  • Tina Lombard O
    1
    Thank you for the information in this course. It leads to the perception that due to the history of the presence of water both in periods of the past and the evolution of Mars as well as the present day existance of water both on surface and below ground. With further study of hydrolic evolution of water on Mars and terraforming would we take the colonization of areas of Mars more seriously? Perhaps. The charts and review also helped to illustrate and clarify the information.

    Tina
    @ Class Central
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