[meteorite-list] Mars Express: Mountains and Buried Ice on Mars

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2011 22:02:15 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201112040602.pB462F00010687_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMUGI2XFVG_index_0.html

Mountains and buried ice on Mars
European Space Agency
2 December 2011

New images from Mars Express show the Phlegra Montes mountain range, in
a region where radar probing indicates large volumes of water ice are
hiding below. This could be a source of water for future astronauts.
 
Phlegra Montes is a range of gently curving mountains and ridges on
Mars. It extends from the northeastern portion of the Elysium volcanic
province to the northern lowlands, spanning latitudes from roughly 30?????N
to 50?????N.

The mountains themselves are probably not volcanic in origin, but have
been raised by ancient tectonic forces that squeezed different regions
of the surface together.

New images from the high-resolution stereo camera on ESA's Mars Express
orbiter allow a closer inspection and show that almost every mountain is
surrounded by "lobate debris aprons" - curved features typically
observed around plateaus and mountains at these latitudes.

Previous studies have shown that this material appears to have moved
down the mountain slopes over time, and looks similar to the debris
found covering glaciers here on Earth.

The suggestion then is that there may be glaciers buried just below the
surface in this region.
 
[Image]
Phlegra Montes in context

This interpretation is backed up by the radar on NASA's Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter looking beneath the martian surface.

The radar shows that lobate debris aprons are indeed strongly associated
with the presence of water ice, perhaps only 20 m down.

Further evidence for relatively recent glaciation can be seen inside
impact craters in the region. Series of ridges are thought to have
developed when the ancient craters filled with snow. Over time, the snow
compacted to form glaciers which then sculpted the crater floors.

There are yet more glacial flow patterns visible in the valley at the
centre of the image.

It is believed that mid-latitude glaciers developed at various times in
the last several hundred million years, when the polar axis of Mars was
significantly different from today, leading to quite different climatic
conditions.

All of this points to plentiful water ice just below the surface in
Phlegra Montes. If this proves to be true, such ice fields could provide
future astronauts with a source of water on the Red Planet.
 
 
[Image]
Phlegra Montes

[Image]
Phlegra Montes in elevation

[Image]
Phlegra Montes in high resolution
 
[Image]
Phlegra Montes in perspective
 
[Image
Phlegra Montes in perspective
 
[Image]
Phlegra Montes in 3D
 
Received on Sun 04 Dec 2011 01:02:15 AM PST