1,2,3,2,2,3,4,1,1,5- 1Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Archaeology, Environmental changes and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) Research Unit, Brussel, Belgium (cem.berk@observatory.be)
- 2Reference Systems & Planetology Department - Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
- 3Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- 4Imperial College London, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- 5Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2207 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
During the Late Noachian-Early Hesperian, geological evidence shows that the Mars surface had shallow seas, lakes, and possibly a northern ocean. This transition period, around 3.8 - 3.0 Ga, is characterised by a high rate of asteroid impacts, following which Mars gradually became colder and arid as surface water was lost. However, the relative importance of different mechanisms responsible for the loss of liquid surface water remains unclear. Here we investigate the role of asteroid impacts in vaporising and removing shallow surface-water layers on Early Mars. Using iSALE-2D shock physics code, we quantify water vaporisation, escape-capable vapour production, and liquid water survival for a range of impactor sizes, water depths, and projectile-target compositions. The results provide constraints on impact-generated hydrological loss mechanisms and inform scenarios for Early Mars climate evolution and surface habitability.
How to cite: Senel, C. B., Luther, R., Karatekin, Ö., Tang, Y., Dai, K., Collins, G. S., Goderis, S., Wünnemann, K., and Claeys, P.: The Role of Asteroid Impacts in Surface-Water Loss on Early Mars, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-12417, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12417, 2026.
