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Subsurface water and clay mineral formation during the early history of Mars

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  • Bethany L. Ehlmann

    (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université de Paris-Sud XI
    Present address: Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.)

  • John F. Mustard

    (Brown University)

  • Scott L. Murchie

    (The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory)

  • Jean-Pierre Bibring

    (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université de Paris-Sud XI)

  • Alain Meunier

    (HydrASA, Université de Poitiers)

  • Abigail A. Fraeman

    (Washington University in St Louis)

  • Yves Langevin

    (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université de Paris-Sud XI)

Abstract

When and where was Mars warm and wet? Widespread bedrock exposures of clay minerals on Mars point to the presence of liquid water in the distant past. The prospect that the planet was once much warmer and wetter than now prompts the question: was early Mars habitable? In a review of data collected in the past decade, Bethany Ehlmann et al. conclude that warm and humid conditions did prevail — not on the planet's surface but beneath it. Mars's surface has probably been cold and dry for more than 4 billion years, with potentially habitable environments limited to the subsurface.

Suggested Citation

  • Bethany L. Ehlmann & John F. Mustard & Scott L. Murchie & Jean-Pierre Bibring & Alain Meunier & Abigail A. Fraeman & Yves Langevin, 2011. "Subsurface water and clay mineral formation during the early history of Mars," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7371), pages 53-60, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:479:y:2011:i:7371:d:10.1038_nature10582
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10582
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiacheng Liu & Joseph R. Michalski & Zhicheng Wang & Wen-Sheng Gao, 2024. "Atmospheric oxidation drove climate change on Noachian Mars," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Antonio Molina & Miguel Ángel de Pablo & Ernst Hauber & Laetitia Le Deit & David (Carlos) Fernández-Remolar, 2014. "Geology of the Ariadnes Basin, NE Eridania quadrangle, Mars - 1:1Million," Journal of Maps, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 487-499, July.
    3. Tanner G. Hoog & Matthew R. Pawlak & Nathaniel J. Gaut & Gloria C. Baxter & Thomas A. Bethel & Katarzyna P. Adamala & Aaron E. Engelhart, 2024. "Emergent ribozyme behaviors in oxychlorine brines indicate a unique niche for molecular evolution on Mars," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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