Amazonian mass balance history of Martian ice reservoirs: Current knowledge and uncertainties

Abstract

A major part of the history of the Amazonian period on Mars is the movement of water ice between near-surface reservoirs across the planet. This work assesses the ages and volumes of different parts of the Martian water ice inventory over the last ∼1 Gyr, to reconstruct the time history of ice reservoirs to the extent that it is currently known and determine whether they provide a mass-balanced history. We find that the available constraints do not provide a mass-balanced history over the last 1 Gyr: published age and volume estimates for past ice are unable to account for the former location of most ice known to exist today. Possible explanations for this may include: (i) observational uncertainties on reported ages and volumes; (ii) longer-term past presence of the Polar Layered Deposits than indicated by reported age estimates; (iii) peak paleo-volumes of mid-latitude glaciers or other extant deposits much larger than their present-day state; (iv) large past volumes of equatorial or mid-latitude ice; (v) missing H 2 O reservoirs that are not well known enough to be included in an inventory at present, such as a large abundance of adsorbed water; and (vi) secular increase of the near-surface ice inventory over the last 1 Gyr. These are not mutually exclusive, but shortcomings exist for each. Determination of a more accurate mass balance history will provide insights into the major events of the Amazonian period.