Clathrates
A clathrate is a chemical substance consisting of a lattice that traps or contains molecules. The word clathrate is derived from the Latin clathratus (clatratus), meaning 'with bars, latticed'.
Importance of Clathrates on Mars
The clathrates of most importance on Mars are carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules trapped in water ice. Such a clathrate is 85% water (by mass).
This carbon dioxide is removed 'permanently' from the Martian atmosphere, but should the water melt, it will be released.
Daniel J Milton hase theorized that sudden melting of buried CO2 clathrates caused explosions of gas and liquid water which caused sudden floods running away from Chaotic Terrain. [1]
However, as Mars has lost its atmosphere, forming clathrates in large quantities has become harder. Kieffer (2000) suggests no significant amount of clathrates could currently exist near the surface of Mars. [2] Stewart & Nimmo (2002) find it is extremely unlikely that CO2 clathrate is present in the Martian regolith in quantities that would affect surface modification processes. [3]
Deeper buried, CO2 clathrates are more stable, and it is possible that significant amounts exit buried deep in the higher latitudes. These may be ancient (they form much more easily when CO2 pressure is higher). However, we currently do not have a good estimate of how much CO2 is trapped by clathrates.
See this article [4] for more information.
Bibliography
"Mars: A Wetter Warmer Planet", by Jeffry S Kargel, Praxis Publishing, ISBN 1-85223-568-8. See discussion on pg 199 to 201 on the formation & stability of Clathrates.
References
- ↑ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.183.4125.654 |Carbon Dioxide Hydrate and Floods on Mars
- ↑ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.287.5459.1753b | Clathrates are not the culprit
- ↑ https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002JGRE..107.5069S | Surface runoff features on Mars: Testing the carbon dioxide formation hypothesis
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrate_compound | wikipedia article
