Ancient Ocean that covered 1/3 of Mars with Water, A new study conducted by University of Colorado at Boulder scientists. |
Ancient Ocean that covered 1/3 of Mars with Water, A new study conducted by University of Colorado at Boulder scientists. |
Guest_Bobby_* |
Jun 15 2010, 12:33 AM
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Guests |
I found this article about Mars being covered with Water and found it interesting.
June 13, 2010 Here is the article: http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/f9b2e812247...b0735f7098.html |
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Jun 16 2010, 11:59 AM
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 55 Joined: 6-March 10 From: Cincinnati, OH Member No.: 5246 |
There are likely at least two different "oceans" in Mars history. The DiAchille paper, cited in Bobby's post, analyzed valley networks and deltas from the Noachian period (>3.5 billion years ago.) when climatic conditions were very different than today. Some temporary bodies of water (or mud) probably formed much later in the northern hemisphere in association with the hugh outflow channels carved during the Hesperian (maybe 500 to 1,000 million years after the earlier ocean--absolute dates are uncertain). The chemical environments (pH etc.) were likely very different during each.
What's puzzling to me is that an ancient, cratered Noachian surface is preserved at realtively shallow depths in the northern hemisphere, suggesting that the sediment layers from both oceanic events are fairly thin. Mars is such a fascinating enigma. Tom |
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Jul 29 2010, 04:54 PM
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Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 136 Joined: 8-August 06 Member No.: 1022 |
There are likely at least two different "oceans" in Mars history. The DiAchille paper, cited in Bobby's post, analyzed valley networks and deltas from the Noachian period (>3.5 billion years ago.) when climatic conditions were very different than today. Some temporary bodies of water (or mud) probably formed much later in the northern hemisphere in association with the hugh outflow channels carved during the Hesperian (maybe 500 to 1,000 million years after the earlier ocean--absolute dates are uncertain). The chemical environments (pH etc.) were likely very different during each. What's puzzling to me is that an ancient, cratered Noachian surface is preserved at realtively shallow depths in the northern hemisphere, suggesting that the sediment layers from both oceanic events are fairly thin. Mars is such a fascinating enigma. Tom My own current thinking on this subject is that the ocean grew after accretion, reaching it's maximum extent in the late Noachian, was initially largely unfrozen, then was frozen over and covered with debris as it monotonically declined over time, with transgressive pulses producing the "shorelines" I identified in Viking images. The ocean is still there, but likely frozen solid (and less extensive). Blocks at the surface in the putative ocean basin interior can be explained in a number of ways. "Sorting" and concentrating of blocks at the surface through periglacial processes; Marine sediment layer overlying basement rocks (and craters) is thin or absent; fines have been selectively winnowed out by aeolian (or aqueous) processes. If you dried up the Earth's oceans, much of the exposed ocean floor would be basalt. -Tim. |
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