ASTR 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Lunar Prospector, Water Cycle, Regolith
26 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
This is the river system we see on earth from mountains down to plains. Conflict between weather water was short-lived on planet or around for a long time (not if it was present). This was the evidence used to say this was a water cycle. This only appear near the equator - "teardrop" islands are indicative of outflow channels. Suggests things were formed 3 billion years ago. Agreed upon history: 4 billion years ago, there was a water cycle - rain, runoff systems (like earth - this does not suggest life). Between 4-3 billion, something froze all that water - melted => giant outflows. This crater shows suggestive features that it was filled with water at some point. Terracing can also occur when you have an earthquake. Suggests that right under the rocky surface there is ice. Produces water mixed with rock -> material gushes away -> water evaporates/sinks into rock = outline of water.
