Abstract

In the current Martian climate, ground ice is unstable in the equatorial regions and, if present, would undergo sublimation and diffusive loss to the atmosphere. Previous studies suggest that the ice table (the uppermost occurrence of ice in the regolith) would continuously recede throughout geologic history. We present new models of the behavior of ice in the Martian equatorial regolith which predict that porous interstitial ice will persist at relatively shallow depths for geologically long periods of time. The persistence of interstitial ice is due to recondensation of water vapor as it diffuses toward the surface, encountering colder temperatures. We discuss the implications for the formation of rampart craters and debris aprons.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.