Earthlike Mars? |
Earthlike Mars? |
Apr 1 2009, 02:28 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 233 Joined: 21-April 05 Member No.: 328 |
All, I know this isn't the right place for this post, but I've looked around and can't find an appropriate, current UMSF forum (Doug, perhaps you could give me some guidance on establishing such) -- so here goes: I think a [the] new paradigm for Martian geology is rapidly coalescing, namely, that Mars is very much like the Earth in terms of the preponderance of water -- except that it is all frozen, and covered under a thin layer of dust/regolith! See, for example, this article:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/41995902.html Hence the "seepages" found in crater walls; hence the evidence of catastophic flooding -- the result of volcanism melting huge pockets of ice. And I am going to add my own wrinkle (probably not original): that the differentiation of Mars into a rougher southern hemisphere and smoother northern hemsphere represents something like Earth's Pangea stage, ie, the northern hemisphere is a vast frozen sea covered with a thin layer of ice. |
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Apr 7 2009, 12:02 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 233 Joined: 21-April 05 Member No.: 328 |
Geert, you are certainly justified in bringing up local constraints on ocean formation -- my simple-minded conception of a Mars ocean is like talking about "liberal" or "conservative" voters as if they have a uniform profile. And I stand properly corrected, Phil, for my simple-minded map-drawing technique. But it is the Dougmeister who has really got this thread unspooling into a nice, fat pile, with his mention of Tim Parker, the real pioneer of the northern ocean theory. I've done some quick (and belated?) research, and the theory of Dr. Parker and his colleagues is all over the web -- not to mention a lengthy discussion thereof on UMSF back in June of 2007! (And not to mention, as per Phil's comment, several scientific depictions of same.) Despite my discomfiture, the point remains that these photos of fresh, ice-penetrating craters will bring roaring back into well deserved focus the thought that oceans -- whether large or small -- lie frozen beneath them. Dr. Parker, we would love to hear from you!!!
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