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Updated: Jun 17, 2025
06:04
Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory
Published on: November 15, 2013
11.5K
Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust
Vashan Wright1, Matthias Morzfeld1, Michael Manga2
1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093.
Summary
Liquid water likely saturated Mars
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Geophysics
- Astrobiology
Background:
- Evidence suggests early Mars had abundant surface liquid water.
- The fate of this water (subsurface sequestration or loss to space) remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and state of water in Mars' mid-crust.
- To reconcile seismic and gravity data with planetary evolution models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized rock physics models.
- Applied Bayesian inversion techniques.
- Constrained models using seismic velocities and gravity data from the InSight lander.
Main Results:
- Identified lithology, water saturation, porosity, and pore shape consistent with Martian mid-crustal data.
- A mid-crust of fractured igneous rocks saturated with liquid water best fits the observations.
- Constrained mid-crustal depths between approximately 11.5 to 20 km.
Conclusions:
- Liquid water likely persists in the Martian subsurface.
- Findings impact understanding of Mars' water cycle and habitability.
- Results inform future missions for resource utilization and the search for life.
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