Evidence for recent climate change on Mars from the identification of youthful near-surface ground ice

作者: John F. Mustard , Christopher D. Cooper , Moses K. Rifkin

DOI: 10.1038/35086515

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摘要: Ground ice in the crust and soil may be one of largest reservoirs water on Mars1,2,3. Near-surface ground is predicted to stable at latitudes higher than 40° (ref. 4), where a number geomorphologic features indicative viscous creep hence have been observed5. Mid-latitude soils also implicated as water-ice reservoir6, capacity which vary 100,000-year timescale owing orbitally driven variations climate7. It uncertain, however, whether near-surface currently exists these latitudes, how it changing with time. Here we report observational evidence for mid-latitude reservoir occupying pore space soils. The thickness ice-occupied (1–10 m) its distribution 30° 60° latitude bands indicate (1.5–6.0) × 104 km3, equivalent global layer 10–40 cm thick. We infer that the was created during last phase high orbital obliquity less 100,000 years ago, now being diminished.

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