KLD3
Keynote (TP): Ice-Free Surface Water Activity Through Mars’ Climate Transition
Conveners:
Baptiste Chide,
Stavro Lambrov Ivanovski
TUE-OB1 |
Tue, 09 Sep, 08:55–09:20 (EEST) Room Jupiter (Hall A)
Tue, 08:55
Abstract
Symmetric ripples, which we have interpreted as shallow water oscillation wave ripples,
were observed in the Amapari Marker Band (AMB) along the Curiosity Rover traverse (sols 3693 - 3744). At the Amapari location, the ripples have a symmetry index, wavelength, and aspect ratio consistent with orbital wave ripples. Modeling of the wind shear and associated water depths required to create wave ripples at this scale shows that ripples of wavelength 3 - 6 cm would have formed in shallow water, 2 m deep or less, under a range of Mars conditions. The presence of shallow water wave ripples in the AMB indicates that, during ripple formation, the lake surface was open to the atmosphere and being acted upon by wind. This provides key geologic evidence for paleoclimate conditions that support standing water on the surface at this point in Mars’ history. Current climate modeling of early Mars is inconclusive on the stability of ice-free standing water at the surface and the associated atmospheric conditions necessary to support such lakes, and these model results provide constraints on the possible atmospheric conditions to allow for an ice-free lake surface, which will help validate ongoing paleoclimate models.