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Stability against freezing of aqueous solutions on early Mars

Author

Listed:
  • Alberto G. Fairén

    (NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA)

  • Alfonso F. Davila

    (NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA)

  • Luis Gago-Duport

    (Universidad de Vigo, Lagoas Marcosende, Vigo 36200, Spain)

  • Ricardo Amils

    (Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850, Madrid, Spain
    Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid, Spain)

  • Christopher P. McKay

    (NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA)

Abstract

Martian water runs cold The observation that many features of the Martian landscape appear to have been formed by liquid water sits uncomfortably with the fact that models of the early Martian climate suggest that global mean surface temperatures were rarely above 0 °C. Fairén et al. offer a possible resolution to this paradox. They model the freezing and evaporation processes of Martian fluids assuming a chemical composition produced by the weathering of basalts, as reflected in the data obtained from Mars landing sites. They find that a significant fraction of weathering fluids loaded with solutes remain in the liquid state at temperatures well below 0 °C. This suggests that the surface features that we see were carved out by flows of saline liquid water.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto G. Fairén & Alfonso F. Davila & Luis Gago-Duport & Ricardo Amils & Christopher P. McKay, 2009. "Stability against freezing of aqueous solutions on early Mars," Nature, Nature, vol. 459(7245), pages 401-404, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:459:y:2009:i:7245:d:10.1038_nature07978
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07978
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