%0 Journal Article
%A Oyarzun Muñoz, Roberto
%A Viedma Molero, Cristóbal
%A Márquez González, Álvaro
%A Lillo Ramos, F. Javier
%T Freezing-resistant liquid water in porous media, a possiblemechanism to account for the fluidized transport of sedimentson Mars: an example from East Gorgonum crater
%D 2003
%@ 0954-4879
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/57569
%X A mudflow-like deposit resting on the bottom of the EastGorgonum Crater (Mars; 37.4S, 168.0W) may provide newinsight regarding the debate on the existence of water over theMartian surface. Because water in a mudflow is confined to aporous medium, we analyse this case from the perspective ofnon-equilibrium systems. Fluids confined to porous mediabehave in a special way, the system being ruled by kineticrestrictions, which alter the expected thermodynamic equilibrium.These non-equilibrium conditions allow the existence ofpure liquid water to temperatures as low as ) 40 C, and evenless if the system includes brines. Thus, application of the triplepoint diagram of water on the Martian surface may constitute asimplistic approach if we are dealing with confined, and yetmoving, water in the form of a mudflow. We further suggestthat the V-shaped channels excavated alongside the mudflowmay have been caused by water rejected by syneresis from themoving sediment. We finally indicate that the series of deeplyentrenched channels and debris aprons that occur only in thenorthern half of the crater might be related to the regionalslope, which decreases in altitude to the south.
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