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Post Impact Mars Climate Simulations Using a GCMThe first images returned by the Mariner 7 spacecraft of the Martian surface showed a landscape heavily scared by impacts. Mariner 9 imaging revealed geomorphic features including valley networks and outflow channels that suggest liquid water once flowed at the surface of Mars. Further evidence for water erosion and surface modification has come from the Viking Spacecraft, Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Obiter Camera (MOC). This evidence includes apparent paleolake beds, fluvial fans and sedimentary layers (Cabrol and Grinn, 1999; Heberle et al., 2001). There is evidence for subsurface water as well. Rampart crates suggest an abundance of water in the near surface regolith (Mouginis-Mark, 1986). The estimated erosion rates necessary to explain the observed surface morphologies (Golombek and Bridges, 2000) present a conundrum. The rates of erosion appear to be highest when the early sun was fainter and only 75% as luminous as it is today. Furthermore the rates of erosion appear to correlate with the rate at which Mars was impacted (Carr and Waenke, 1992). All of this evidence suggests to a very different climate than what exists on Mars today.
Document ID
20030066790
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
A Colaprete
(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Mountain View, California, United States)
R M Haberle
(Ames Research Center Mountain View, California, United States)
T L Segura
(University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado, United States)
O B Toon
(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Mountain View, California, United States)
K Zahnle
(Ames Research Center Mountain View, California, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Sixth International Conference on Mars
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
3281
Meeting Information
Meeting: Sixth International Conference on Mars
Location: Pasadena, CA
Country: US
Start Date: July 20, 2003
End Date: July 25, 2003
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Institute
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC5-679
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
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