Microcraters on Mars: Evidence of past climatic variations

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Atmospheric Models, Climate, Climate Change, Climatology, Craters, Mars (Planet), Mars Atmosphere, Mars Environment, Mars Surface, Meteorites, Planetary Geology, Astronomy, Atmospheric Pressure, Moments Of Inertia, Moon

Scientific paper

On Mars, we do not expect to see the full spectrum of crater sizes that we see on the Moon, because the Martian atmosphere decelerates smaller incoming meteorites. Mars climate models predict thirty-fold variations in Mars' atmospheric pressure due to large amplitude quasi-periodic variations in Mars' obliquity. More recent studies have shown that uncertainties in Mars' moment of inertia may have resulted in an underestimation of this range. In this study, we find that potential variations in the mass of the Martian atmosphere should have dramatic effects on the production rates of centimeter sized craters on the surface of Mars, and suggest that observations of the densities of Martian microcraters would provide an important validation of the astronomical theory for Martian climate change.

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