Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

Water on Mars

Nature volume 326, pages 30–35 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

Estimates of the amount of water outgassed from Mars, based on the composition of the atmosphere, range from 6 to 160 m, as compared with 3 km for the Earth. In contrast, large flood features, valley networks, and several indicators of ground ice suggest that at least 500 m of water have outgassed. The two sets of estimates may be reconciled if early in its history, Mars lost part of its atmosphere by impact erosion and hydrodynamic escape.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Leighton, R. B. & Murray, B. C. Science 153, 136–144 (1966).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Famer, C. B. & Doms, P. E. J. geophys. Res. 84, 2881–2888 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Fanale, F. P. Icarus 28, 179–202 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rossbacher, L. A. & Judson, S. Icarus 45, 39–59 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kuzmin, R. O. Kriolitosfera Marsa (Nauka, Moscow, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Farmer, C. B., Davies, D. W. & LaPorte, D. D. Science 194, 1339–1341 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Kieffer, H. H., Christensen, P. R., Martin, T. Z., Miner, E. D. & Palluconi, F. D. Science 194, 1346–1357 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ward, W. R., Murray, B. C. & Malin, M. C. J. geophys. Res. 79, 3287–3395 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fanale, F. P. & Cannon, W. A. J. geophys. Res. 79, 3397–3402 (1974).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fanale, F. P. & Cannon, W. A. J. geophys. Res. 83, 2321–2325 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fanale, F. P., Salvail, J. R., Banerdt, W. B. & Saunders, R. S. Icarus 50, 381–407 (1982).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fanale, F. P., Salvail, J. R., Zent, A. P. & Postawko, S. E. Icarus 67, 1–18 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Clifford, S. M. & Hillel, D. J. geophys. Res. 88, 2456–2474 (1983).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Clifford, S. M. thesis, Univ. Massachusetts (1984).

  15. Jakosky, B. M. Space Sci. Rev. 41, 131–200 (185).

  16. Sinton, W. J. & Strong, J. Astrophys. J. 131, 459–469 (1960).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kaplan, L. D., Münch, G. & Spinrad, H. Astrophys. J. 139, 1–15 (1964).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Spinrad, H., Münch, G. & Kaplan, L. D. Astrophys. J. 137, 1319–1321 (1963).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Leighton, R. B., Murray, B. C., Sharp, R. P., Allen, J. D. & Sloan, R. K. Science 149, 627–630 (1965).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. McCauley, J. F. et al. Icarus 17, 289–327 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Masursky, H. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4037–4047 (1973).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sagan, C., Toon, O. B. & Gierasch, P. J. Science 181, 1045–1049 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Lewis, J. S. Scient. Am. 230, 50–65 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Turekian, K. K. & Clark, S. P. J. atmos. Sci. 32, 1257–1261 (1975).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lewis, J. S. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 15, 286–290 (1972).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ringwood, A. E. & Clark, S. P. Nature 234, 89–92 (1971).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Owen, T. Icarus 28, 171–177 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Fanale, F. P. Icarus 28, 179–202 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Levine, J. S. Icarus 28, 165–170 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Owen, T. et al. J. geophys. Res. 82, 4635–4639 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. McElroy, M. B., Kong, T. Y. & Yung, Y. L. J. geophys. Res. 82, 4379–4388 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Morgan, J. W. & Anders, E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 43, 1601–1610 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Surkov, Y. A. Gamma Spectrometry in Cosmic Investigations (Atomizdat, Moscow, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Toksoz, M. N. & Hsui, A. T. Icarus 34, 537–547 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Rasool, S. I. & LeSergeant, L. Nature 266, 822–823 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Pollack, J. B. & Black, D. C. Science 205, 56–59 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Carr, M. H. & Schaber, G. G. J. geophys. Res. 82, 4039–4065 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Lucchitta, B. K. Icarus 45, 264–303 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Milton, D. J. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4037–4047 (1973).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Baker, V. R. The Channels of Mars (University of Texas Press, Austin, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Carr, M. H. The Surface of Mars (Yale Press, New Haven, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Sharp, R. P. & Malin, M. C. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 86, 593–609 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Baker, V. R. & Milton, D. J. Icarus 23, 27–41 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Masursky, H., Boyce, J. M., Dial, A. L., Schaber, G. G. & Strobell, M. E. J. geophys. Res. 82, 4016–4038 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Mouginis-Mark, P. J. et al. Earth, Moon Planets 30, 149–173 (1984).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Clark, B. C. Icarus 34, 645–665 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Carr, M. H. J. geophys. Res. 84, 2995–3007 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Carr, M. H. Icarus 68, 187–216 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Blasius, K. R., Cutts, J. A., Guest, J. E. & Masursky, H. J. geophys. Res. 82, 4067–4091 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  50. Komar, P. D. Icarus 42, 317–329 (1980).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. Pieri, D. C. Icarus 27, 25–50 (1976).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  52. Carr, M. H. & Clow, G. D. Icarus 48, 91–117 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. Pieri, D. C. Science 210, 895–897 (1980).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Clifford, S. M. Proc. 3rd. Int. Colloq. Mars 46–48 (Lunar and Planet. Inst., Houston, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  55. Malin, M. C. J. geophys. Res 81, 4825–4844 (1976).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. Baker, V. R. & Partridge, J. B. J. geophys. Res. 91, 3561–3572 (1986).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  57. Masursky, H. Lunar planet. Sci. XVII, 520–521 (1986).

  58. Pollack, J. B. Icarus 37, 479–553 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  59. Toon, O. B., Pollack, J. B., Ward, W., Burns, J. A. & Bilski, K. Icarus 4, 552–607 (1980).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  60. Sharp, R. P. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4073–4083 (1973).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  61. Squyres, S. W. J. geophys. Res. 84, 8087–8096 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  62. Squyres, S. W. & Carr, M. H. Science 231, 249–252 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Lucchitta, B. K. J. geophys. Res. 89, B409–B418 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  64. Wood, C. A. & Ashwal, L. D. 12th Proc. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf., 1359–1379 (1981).

  65. Bogard, D. D. & Johnson, P. Science 221, 651–654 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Becker, R. H. and Pepin, R. O. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 69, 225–242 (1984).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Dreibus, G. & Wänke, H. Meteoritics 20, 367–381 (1985).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Wänke, H. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A303, 287–302 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  69. Ringwood, A. E. Origin of the Earth and Moon (Springer, London, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  70. Goettal, K. A. Yb Carnegie Instn Wash. 82, 363–366 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  71. McKay, C. P. Adv. Space Res. (in the press).

  72. Lewis, J. S. & Prinn, R. G. Planets and their Atmospheres (Academic, New York, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  73. Hulen, D. M., Pepin, R. O. & Walker, J. C. G. Icarus (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, 94025, USA

    Michael H. Carr

Authors
  1. Michael H. Carr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carr, M. Water on Mars. Nature 326, 30–35 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/326030a0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/326030a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing