GEO 330 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Dew Point, Gamma Ray, Tharsis
30 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
Surface ice that interacts with the atmosphere and upper meter or so of subsurface. Deeply buried ice that is isolated from the atmosphere. Total surface ice is mostly confined to poles -- would equal ~50m thick global layer. Water ice is also present underneath a remnant of co2 cap in the south. Total buried ice is probably much larger than surface ice. Some radar results indicate that there may be lots of buried ice. In current times, ice is continually being redistributed across the martian surface. Possible ice deposits on pole-facing slopes (from which gullies emerge!) Ice stability depends on frost point, which is estimated to be ~198k on average. Above the frost point, ice in contact with the atmosphere will sublimate. Below the frost point, ice will freeze out of the atmosphere. The frost point varies according to season and location, and every region of mars is above the frost point for some period of time during the year.
