Geysers on Mars

Artist concept showing sand-laden jets erupting from Martian geysers. (Published by NASA; artist: Ron Miller.)
Dark dune spots

Martian geysers (or CO
2 jets) are putative sites of small gas and dust eruptions that occur in the south polar region of Mars during the spring thaw. "Dark dune spots" and "spiders" – or araneiforms[1] – are the two most visible types of features ascribed to these eruptions.

Martian geysers are distinct from geysers on Earth, which are typically associated with hydrothermal activity. These are unlike any terrestrial geological phenomenon. The reflectance (albedo), shapes and unusual spider appearance of these features have stimulated a variety of hypotheses about their origin, ranging from differences in frosting reflectance, to explanations involving biological processes. However, all current geophysical models assume some sort of jet or geyser-like activity on Mars.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Their characteristics, and the process of their formation, are still a matter of debate.

These features are unique to the south polar region of Mars in an area informally called the 'cryptic region', at latitudes 60° to 80° south and longitudes 150°W to 310°W;[11][12][13] this 1 meter deep carbon dioxide (CO2) ice transition area—between the scarps of the thick polar ice layer and the permafrost—is where clusters of the apparent geyser systems are located.

The seasonal frosting and defrosting of carbon dioxide ice results in the appearance of a number of features, such dark dune spots with spider-like rilles or channels below the ice,[3] where spider-like radial channels are carved between the ground and the carbon dioxide ice, giving it an appearance of spider webs, then, pressure accumulating in their interior ejects gas and dark basaltic sand or dust, which is deposited on the ice surface and thus, forming dark dune spots.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] This process is rapid, observed happening in the space of a few days, weeks or months, a growth rate rather unusual in geology – especially for Mars.[14] However, it would seem that multiple years would be required to carve the larger spider-like channels.[2] There is no direct data on these features other than images taken in the visible and infrared spectra.

  1. ^ Portyankina, Ganna (2014). "Araneiform". Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. p. 1. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_540-1. ISBN 978-1-4614-9213-9.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Piqueux2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Manrubia, S. C.; O. Prieto Ballesteros; C. González Kessler; D. Fernández Remolar; C. Córdoba-Jabonero; F. Selsis; S. Bérczi; T. Gánti; A. Horváth; A. Sik; E. Szathmáry (2004). "Comparative Analysis of Geological Features and Seasonal Processes in Inca City and PittyUSA Patera Regions on Mars" (PDF). European Space Agency Publications (ESA SP): 545. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011.
  4. ^ a b Kieffer, H. H. (2000). "Mars Polar Science 2000 - Annual Punctuated CO2 Slab-ice and Jets on Mars" (PDF). Retrieved 6 September 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ a b Kieffer, Hugh H. (2003). "Third Mars Polar Science Conference (2003)- Behavior of Solid CO" (PDF). Retrieved 6 September 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ a b Portyankina, G., ed. (2006). "Fourth Mars Polar Science Conference - Simulations of Geyser-Type Eruptions in Cryptic Region of Martian South" (PDF). Retrieved 11 August 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ a b Sz. Bérczi; et al., eds. (2004). "Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV (2004) - Stratigraphy of Special Layers – Transient Ones on Permeable Ones: Examples" (PDF). Retrieved 12 August 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ a b Kieffer, Hugh H.; Philip R. Christensen; Timothy N. Titus (30 May 2006). "CO2 jets formed by sublimation beneath translucent slab ice in Mars' seasonal south polar ice cap". Nature. 442 (7104): 793–6. Bibcode:2006Natur.442..793K. doi:10.1038/nature04945. PMID 16915284. S2CID 4418194.
  9. ^ "NASA Findings Suggest Jets Bursting From Martian Ice Cap". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA. 16 August 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  10. ^ C.J. Hansen; N. Thomas; G. Portyankina; A. McEwen; T. Becker; S. Byrne; K. Herkenhoff; H. Kieffer; M. Mellon (2010). "HiRISE observations of gas sublimation-driven activity in Mars' southern polar regions: I. Erosion of the surface" (PDF). Icarus. 205 (1): 283–295. Bibcode:2010Icar..205..283H. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.07.021.
  11. ^ Titus T. N. et al. (2003) Third Mars Polar Science Conference, Abstract #8081.
  12. ^ Kieffer, H. H. (2001) Second International Conf. On Mars Polar Sci. and Exploration, no. 1057.
  13. ^ Kieffer, H. H. (2003), Sixth International Conference on Mars, no. 3158.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ness was invoked but never defined (see the help page).