Investigation 1:

Martian Ice Distribution and Dynamics 

PIs: 

• Shane Byrne, Douglas, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, UArizona
• Susan Conway, Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences UMR 6112, CNRS

Summary:

Extensive buried water ice is known to exist in the martian mid-latitudes and forms both a resource for future astronauts as well a potentially habitable niche for present or past life. The topic of our proposed work is to better constrain the ice’s history, present-day distribution and purity. We will use orbital images to identify scarps where water ice is visible at the surface, and map their distribution at unprecedented completeness. Glacier-like forms are also common in these areas and we will derive topography from stereo images to use with finite element models, to constrain the ice composition, temperature, and its contamination with dust and/or salts. This topic forms one of the great challenges for future human exploration of Mars, because this near-surface ice will be a key resource for providing water to astronauts and for producing hydrogen for fuel. Likewise, ice’s longevity, thermal history, and whether basal melting has ever occurred has profound implications for subglacial habitability and astrobiological potential.