RT Journal Article
T1 Ammonia or methanol would enable subsurface liquid water at the Martian South Pole
A1 Egea González, Isabel
A1 McKay, Chris P.
A1 Hallsworth, John E
A1 Jiménez Díaz, Alberto
A1 Ruiz Pérez, Javier
AB The notion of liquid water beneath the ice layer at the south polar layered deposits (SPLD) of Mars is an interesting possibility given the implications for astrobiology and possible human habitation. A body of liquid water located at a depth of 1.5 km has been inferred from radar data in the South Polar Cap. However, the high temperatures that would facilitate the existence of liquid water or brine at that depth are not consistent with estimations of heat flow that are based on the lithosphere’s flexure. Attempts to reconcile both issues have been inconclusive or otherwise unsuccessful. Here, we analyze the possible role(s) of subsurface ammonia and/or methanol in maintaining water in a liquid state at subsurface temperatures that are compatible with the lithosphere strength. Our results indicate that the presence of these compounds at the base of the SPLD can reconcile the existence of liquid water with previous estimations of surface heat flow.
PB Mary Ann Liebert
SN 1531-1074
YR 2025
FD 2025-03-18
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/121294
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/121294
LA eng
NO Egea-González, I., McKay, C. P., Hallsworth, J. E., Jiménez-Díaz, A., & Ruiz, J. (2025). Ammonia or methanol would enable subsurface liquid water at the martian south pole. Astrobiology, 25(3), 201-208. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2024.0075
NO NASA Astrobiology Program(CPM)
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 dic 2025