Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications

Abstract On early Mars, the integration of surface, groundwater, and climate systems into an integrated hydrological system remains poorly understood. The partitioning of precipitation, between surface and groundwater via infiltration, controls the Martian aquifer recharge rates and, subsequently, s...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Afzal Shadab, Eric Hiatt, Rickbir Singh Bahia, Eleni V. Bohacek, Vilmos Steinmann, Marc Andre Hesse
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111939
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author Mohammad Afzal Shadab
Eric Hiatt
Rickbir Singh Bahia
Eleni V. Bohacek
Vilmos Steinmann
Marc Andre Hesse
author_facet Mohammad Afzal Shadab
Eric Hiatt
Rickbir Singh Bahia
Eleni V. Bohacek
Vilmos Steinmann
Marc Andre Hesse
author_sort Mohammad Afzal Shadab
collection DOAJ
description Abstract On early Mars, the integration of surface, groundwater, and climate systems into an integrated hydrological system remains poorly understood. The partitioning of precipitation, between surface and groundwater via infiltration, controls the Martian aquifer recharge rates and, subsequently, surface erosion processes. We investigate infiltration at two scales, near‐surface and deep crustal. We estimate infiltration timescales, revealing that near‐surface water loss enhances aeolian erosion over short periods (hours to days). Deep crustal recharge, which requires decades to centuries, affects the deep aquifer response and the water budget. Martian crustal heterogeneity influences infiltration dynamics and runoff production making them dependent on the duration of precipitation. This interaction suggests that the responses of the aquifers to recharge events and groundwater upwelling likely lag behind climate optimum conditions. The accommodation space between topography and aquifer influences Mars' water budget by transiently sequestering water, thus limiting the available water for surface evaporation and inclusion in climate dynamics.
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institution DOAJ
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-286933a7a6544136a7d66d590bdf39a22025-08-20T02:56:34ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01528n/an/a10.1029/2024GL111939Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage ImplicationsMohammad Afzal Shadab0Eric Hiatt1Rickbir Singh Bahia2Eleni V. Bohacek3Vilmos Steinmann4Marc Andre Hesse5Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USAUniversity of Texas Institute for Geophysics The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USAEuropean Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) Noordwijk The NetherlandsEuropean Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) Noordwijk The NetherlandsEötvös Loránd University Budapest HungaryOden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USAAbstract On early Mars, the integration of surface, groundwater, and climate systems into an integrated hydrological system remains poorly understood. The partitioning of precipitation, between surface and groundwater via infiltration, controls the Martian aquifer recharge rates and, subsequently, surface erosion processes. We investigate infiltration at two scales, near‐surface and deep crustal. We estimate infiltration timescales, revealing that near‐surface water loss enhances aeolian erosion over short periods (hours to days). Deep crustal recharge, which requires decades to centuries, affects the deep aquifer response and the water budget. Martian crustal heterogeneity influences infiltration dynamics and runoff production making them dependent on the duration of precipitation. This interaction suggests that the responses of the aquifers to recharge events and groundwater upwelling likely lag behind climate optimum conditions. The accommodation space between topography and aquifer influences Mars' water budget by transiently sequestering water, thus limiting the available water for surface evaporation and inclusion in climate dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111939early Marshydrologyinfiltrationwater budgetgeomorphologygroundwater
spellingShingle Mohammad Afzal Shadab
Eric Hiatt
Rickbir Singh Bahia
Eleni V. Bohacek
Vilmos Steinmann
Marc Andre Hesse
Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
Geophysical Research Letters
early Mars
hydrology
infiltration
water budget
geomorphology
groundwater
title Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
title_full Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
title_fullStr Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
title_full_unstemmed Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
title_short Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications
title_sort infiltration dynamics on early mars geomorphic climatic and water storage implications
topic early Mars
hydrology
infiltration
water budget
geomorphology
groundwater
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111939
work_keys_str_mv AT mohammadafzalshadab infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications
AT erichiatt infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications
AT rickbirsinghbahia infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications
AT elenivbohacek infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications
AT vilmossteinmann infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications
AT marcandrehesse infiltrationdynamicsonearlymarsgeomorphicclimaticandwaterstorageimplications