Publication Abstracts

Schmidt et al. 2025

Schmidt, F., M.J. Way, A. Quiquet, I. Aleinov, and C. Dumas, 2025: Ancient Mars climate with a polar ocean and ice sheet dynamics. J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 130, no. 10, e2025JE008970, doi:10.1029/2025JE008970.

In this article, we study the conditions required to maintain a stable ocean on Mars 3 Ga using a new suite of simulations. These simulations couple a 3D Global Climate Model with ocean dynamics and ice sheet flow. The model includes the main processes of the atmosphere/hydrosphere/cryosphere to investigate Mars' ancient climate. The results show that the total water content required to maintain an ocean is ∼ 700 m, global equivalent layer, half in the ocean, half in the ice sheet. This number seems plausible if a significant amount of water has been absorbed by the ground. This could be in the form of mineral alteration, or in a deep porous reservoir. In addition, the results show that the equilibrium mass flux from the ice sheet adjacent to the northern ocean is ∼ 1015 kg/y with a very low sliding velocity (1 m/y), except for few warm regions in the lowest altitudes that could reach up to 300 m/y. Finally, the global atmosphere/hydrosphere/cryosphere equilibrium should be reached in a few 100 ky. This indicates that the ocean will have a stabilizing feedback on timescales longer than this. An extensive sensitivity study of the ice sheet was performed. This included the effects of a geothermal heat flux, viscosity and basal drag. Finally, we studied the possible effects of planetary obliquity and a reduced ocean extent.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{sc08900u,
  author={Schmidt, F. and Way, M. J. and Quiquet, A. and Aleinov, I. and Dumas, C.},
  title={Ancient Mars climate with a polar ocean and ice sheet dynamics},
  year={2025},
  journal={Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets},
  volume={130},
  number={10},
  pages={e2025JE008970},
  doi={10.1029/2025JE008970},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - sc08900u
AU  - Schmidt, F.
AU  - Way, M. J.
AU  - Quiquet, A.
AU  - Aleinov, I.
AU  - Dumas, C.
PY  - 2025
TI  - Ancient Mars climate with a polar ocean and ice sheet dynamics
JA  - J. Geophys. Res. Planets
JO  - Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
VL  - 130
IS  - 10
SP  - e2025JE008970
DO  - 10.1029/2025JE008970
ER  -

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