Precipitation induced by explosive volcanism on Mars and its implications for unexpected equatorial ice

Saira S. Hamid (), Laura Kerber and Amanda B. Clarke
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Saira S. Hamid: Arizona State University
Laura Kerber: California Institute of Technology
Amanda B. Clarke: Arizona State University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Explosive volcanism occurred on Mars during its early history (Noachian–Hesperian; ~4.1–3.0 Ga). Because of Mars’ cold atmospheric temperatures, water released from explosive eruptions may precipitate as ice or ice-ash aggregates. This process may have supplied ice to equatorial regions, which contain high excess hydrogen and potential buried ice deposits. We simulate explosive volcanic eruptions using the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Generic Planetary Climate Model and find that up to ~5 meters of ice is delivered to the surface in only one high-magnitude eruptive event. This ice can persist for long periods if preserved by widespread cooling from volcanic sulfuric acid or by burial under dust or pyroclasts. Here we show that over time, explosive eruptions may have served as a recurring mechanism for delivering ice to the equator, explaining elevated ice content at low latitudes independent of obliquity.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63518-8

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