Geophysics sheds light on early Martian water and habitability

The most prominent aspects of editors are summaries of recent documents of AGU magazine editors.

Fountain: Geophysics Research Magazine: Planets

Water flowed in the old Mars, but the time, duration, duration and exact nature of liquid water systems in or near the surface are still debated by planetary scientists. A configuration where water could have prevailed in early Mars is hydrothermal circulation, that is, the circulation of warm water driven by heat inside the cortex, under craters.

Mitelholz et al. [2025] Test the presence and duration of the hydrothermal systems under craters of impact on the first of Mars when considering the effects that these systems would have on the geophysical parameters of the Martian cortex that we can observe today. In particular, the authors focus on the concepts that the hydrothermal circulation would efficiently cool the local cortex, hindering the deformation of the craters that occurs when the rocks are warm and would alter the magnetization of the cortex through chemical processes associated with the extensive interaction of water of water triggered by hydrothermal systems. The authors use sophisticated data analysis and numerical models to show that orbital gravity and magnetic data collected by the Mars orbit spacecraft are consistent with these effects of hydrothermic circulation in several regions on Mars.

The study finds that water rock interactions associated with hydrothermal circulation were not only present in Mars Early, but durable. In addition, the study demonstrates how an interdisciplinary approach (cheating together geophysics and geochemistry, severity and magnetism, cortex and nucleus) can be used to address the questions of the general panels about planetary habitability. The authors argue that a gravity mission dedicated in Martian orbit or regional magnetic studies carried out near the surface could further prove these ideas.

Appointment: Mitelholz, A., Moorkamp, ​​M., Broquet, A. and Ojha, L. (2025). Gravity and magnetic field firms in affected regions hydrothermally on Mars. Geophysical Research Magazine: Planets, 130, E2024JE008832. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024je008832 

—Michael M. Sori, associated editor, JGR: Planets

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