Evidence of Glaciers on Mars

Hubblesite.org
TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009
 Overview

A. Background on Mars D. Impact Craters

B. Polar Ice on Mars
Fingerprint terrain
Polar dunes
Layered deposits
C. Model for rock glacier
formation
Hellas region
Glacier tongue
“Normal” crater ice
Rock glaciers in craters
E. Mountain/piedmont glaciers
Model
Morphological support
Analysis of Olympus Mons
F. Ground Ice?
G. Conclusions

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Background
Mars compared to earth:

•Smaller
•Thinner atmosphere
•Lower gravity
•Less sunlight = colder
•2 compositions of Ice: Water
Ice and Carbon Dioxide Ice

Obliquity, eccentricity (ellipsoid)

combine to allow ice and glacial
formation on Mars

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

The Obvious place to look? The Poles!
Poles show seasonal
variation:

•Winter = Expansion of Ice

“sheets”

•Condensation of Carbon
Dioxide Ice at temperatures
as low as -150 °C

•Summer = Evaporation of
carbon dioxide ice

•only water ice remains

Mars Express/ESA, HIRISE/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 “Fingerprint” Terrain

•Only poles show

uncovered ice in
significant quantities

•Spiral, lobate pattern

common in polar ice

• Fingerprint “texture”
formed via wind and
Aeolian processes

HIRISE/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Polar Dune Terrain

HIRISE/NASA

•Evidence of geyser activity?

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Layered Deposits

•Alternating
layers of ice
and dust/rock

•Potentially will
give us climatic
record
Mars Express/ESA, HIRISE/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

Model of Glacial Formation and Evolution:
Rock Glaciers

•No Ice at surface except at

or near poles

•Ice originates from below the

surface and “ponds”

•Sublimation of uncovered
ice under present conditions
makes it extremely difficult to
see glacier evolution

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

Example of the Model? Hellas Region

MRO/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Glacial “Tongue” - Hellas Region

•Eskers

•Very different morphology than most

•Thought to represent a “wet” galcier

Both-HIRISE/NASA
TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009
Where Else To Look? Impact Craters…

•Provide shelter for ice

against sun exposure

•Ice must be transported from

poles due to seasonal shifts
in atmospheric conditions

•Impacts can also release

liquid water or provide a
pathway for its escape from
below

Mars Express/ESA, HIRISE/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Crater Based Rock Glacier

•Like the debris fan

around Hellas, many
thought this was a fluvial
sediment accumulation

•Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter (MRO)
demonstrated the
presence of ice just
below the surface

MRO/NASA

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Another Target For Ice? Mountains!
Olympus Mons:

•Most massive volcano in the

solar system

•Surrounded by large cliffs but

has shallow slopes

•~86,600 ft above MSL of

Mars (~3x as high as Everest)

•~342 miles wide

Milkovich et al., 2005

•Caldera: ~1960 mi2

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009
Model of Glacial Formation and Evolution:
Olympus Mons
•Much closer to
equator

•Ice flows down slope

on Olympus Mons

•Exposed Ice will

sublimate at lower
elevation

•Mass wasting and

effective debris
Milkovich et al., 2005
coverage important
to survival
TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009
 Different Morphologies on Mars
A) Ganges Chasma, Valles
Marineris
radial grooved texture of
debris apron

B) Daedalia Planum
blocky texture of flow
surface with many
tongues and toes

C) Olympus Mons scarp

sub parallel arcuate ridges
in the debris apron
Milkovich et al., 2005

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

Olympus Mons Geomorphology

Milkovich et al., 2005

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009
 Ground Ice?
•Network of polygonal
cracks and elongated,
scallop-shaped
depressions

•Similar to thermal
contraction cracks in
periglacial and alpine
regions HIRISE/NASA

•Steep pole/gentle Western Utopia Planitia,

equator facing slopes northern lowlands

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Conclusions
•Glacial environments do and have existed on Mars for a
long time

•Ice is found in both polar and non-polar regions, but

much of the geomorphology on Mars is poorly understood

•A diverse set of terrains and morphologies exist

suggesting complex and diverse micro-climatic conditions
on Mars

•Layered polar deposits should give a detailed climatic

record similar to that obtained from Antarctic ice cores

•Most ice on Mars (non-polar) originates from below the

surface and depends on rock and sediment coverage to
avoid sublimation

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009

 Questions?

HIRISE/NASA References HIRISE/NASA

ESA: Mars Express. European Space Agency. <http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/>.

Head J.W. et al., 2005. Tropical to mid-latitude snow and ice accumulation, flow and glaciation on
Mars. Nature, 434: March 17, 346-351

HIRISE: High Resolution Imaging experiment. Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and
Planetary Institute, The University of Arizona. <http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/>.

Milkovich, S.M. et al., 2005. Debris-Covered Piedmont Glaciers Along The Northwest Flank Of The
Olympus Mons Scarp: Evidence For Low-Latitude Ice Accumulation During The Late Amazonian Of
Mars. M.S. Thesis, Brown University.

NASA , website. <http://www.nasa.gov>.

The Hubble Telescope. NASA. <http://www.hubblesite.org>.

TJ Schepker G565 Glacial Geomorphology Spring 2009