HR: 0830h
AN: C21C-0827    [PDF]
TI: The Association of Liquid Water Springs With Permafrost Regions on Earth and Mars
AU: * Heldmann, J L
EM: jheldmann@mail.arc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Ames Research Center, Mailstop 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 United States
AU: Mellon, M T
EM: michael.mellon@colorado.edu
AF: University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, UCB 392, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AU: Pollard, W H
EM: pollard@felix.geog.mcgill.ca
AF: McGill University, Department of Geography, Montreal, QC H3A 2K6 Canada
AU: Andersen, D T
EM: dandersen@seti.org
AF: McGill University, Department of Geography, Montreal, QC H3A 2K6 Canada
AU: McKay, C P
EM: cmckay@mail.arc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Ames Research Center, Mailstop 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 United States
AB: Recent space missions have confirmed the presence of ice-rich ground in the middle and high latitudes of Mars. Geologically recent gully features on Mars show a geographic distribution that is correlated with theoretical models of ground ice stability which is suggestive of a genetic relationship between ground ice and gully activity. Possible mechanisms of gully formation are thus examined. A liquid water aquifer on Mars activated by freezing cycles is the favored model of gully formation based on an analysis of Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft data. Additionally, liquid water spring activity occurs in regions of continuous permafrost on Earth. Spring systems in the Canadian High Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island) as well as the Norwegian Arctic (Spitsbergen) demonstrate different morphologies and mechanisms of formation for spring systems in polar desert environments. On both Earth and Mars, liquid water springs in permafrost regions provide a unique setting for the possible preservation of biological signatures.
DE: 1823 Frozen ground
DE: 1824 Geomorphology (1625)
DE: 5462 Polar regions
DE: 6225 Mars
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting