Introduction:
Some of the most of import events in the history of both Earth and Mars, including those of the biosphere, appear to be related to ruinous periods of considerable hydrological alteration. Megaflood events have occurred, though at different times on Earth and Mars and have affected both planetal climatic systems, therefore it is necessary to analyze them. Martian clime in the yesteryear was closer to Earths than it is today, and it is plausible to state that Earth ‘s clime, in the yesteryear, and so could be in the hereafter, similar to Mars ‘ . Therefore, it is indispensable to discourse the similarities and differences between Martian and Tellurian Megaflood events to assist us understand the procedures of clime alteration, geophysical sciences, and the potency for life beyond our ain planet. ( NASA 2009 )
What are Megafloods:
Megaflood events affecting sudden discharges of exceptionally big volumes of H2O are rare ; nevertheless they can significantly impact landscape development, continental-scale drainage forms and clime alteration ( Gupta 2009 ) . Megaflood events can be define as,
‘High energy Megafloods are planetary-scale phenomena associated with glacier outburst scenes, glacial lake wasteweirs and the huge outflow channels of Marss. ‘ ( Baker 2002 )
The causes of a Megaflood event vary on Earth and Mars ; this is chiefly due to the blunt contrast in climatic systems ( Davie 2002 ) . However, there are some similarities that may act upon these Megaflood events that both Earth and Mars experience, such as volcanic and tectonic activity. On both Earth and Mars abrupt and episodic operations of these Megaflood events are major factors in planetary climatic alteration and consequence in dramatic planet-wide clime oscillations.
Similarities:
Earth and Mars are the lone two planets to hold, or to of had, H2O circulations and similarities in the weathering processes. ( Baker 2009 ) Both planets have similar landscape characteristics and enduring procedures. For illustration, inclines and mass motions ; there are high escarpments on Marss and the presence of high air currents and all right deposit leads to many similar characteristics on Mars ( Summerfield 1991 ) A noteworthy landform that has caused much guess amongst geomorphologists has been the formation of channels on Mars, similar to that seen on Earth today. There are three types ; the fretted channels, overflow channels and outflow channels. Detailed comparings between the signifier of outflow channels and the morphology of the Channelled Scabland of eastern Washington and Oregon in the USA have led to the suggestion that the Martian Channels likewise owe their signifier to the action of ruinous inundations ( Summerfield 1991 ) . Little fluctuations in the size of these channels and Martian and Tellurian Megaflood events are due to the differing surface and climatic conditions on both planets. For illustration, the Megaflood events that formed the Martian escape channels had maximal discharges comparable to those of Earth ‘s ocean currents and its thermohaline circulation. ( Baker 2009 )
One of the chief factors for this mega-scale environmental alteration on both Earth and Marss seem to be associated tectonic and volcanic activity, therefore the great measure of planetal H2O. Geological record shows that volcano-ice-water interactions are normally associated with outburst inundation channels ( Bakeret Al.1991 ) . Some Megaflood events on Earth derive from volcano-ice interactions. However the biggest tellurian inundations are associated with glaciers, for illustration, the Laurentide glacier retreat during the Last Ice Age. On the footing of our current cognition Mars possesses the largest vents in the Solar System and it is said that for illustration Olympus Mons which is 24 kilometer high. It is argued by many scientists that these vents are connected to the Martian Megaflood events that occurred 10s of 1000000s of old ages ago, and this could besides perchance explicate the sheer size of the inundations in comparing to Terrestrial Megafloods.
On both Earth and Mars, rapid and sporadic operations of these huge procedures have been major factors in planetary climatic alteration. On reasonably short clip graduated tables, by their influence on pelagic circulation, Earth ‘s Pleistocene Megaflood events likely encouraged the Younger Dryas chilling about 12.8 Ka ago, and instigated the Bond rhythms of ocean-climate oscillation with their related Heinrich events of “iceberg armadas” into the North Atlantic. The Martian Megaflood events are thought to hold induced the intermittent formation of a northern fields “ocean, ” which, coupled with volcanic activity, led to reasonably short periods of enhanced hydrological cycling on the land surface. ( Barker 2007 ) This procedure of episodic short-duration clime alteration on Mars, runing at intervals of 100s of 1000000s of old ages, has analogues in the Neoproterozoic Glaciation of Earth ( otherwise known as the “Snowball Earth Hypothesis” ) . Both phenomena are theorized to affect dramatic planet-wide clime oscillations and associated feedbacks with ocean circulation, land-surface weathering, glaciation, and atmospheric C dioxide. It can be sad that the critical factors for mega-scale environmental alteration on both Mars and Earth seem to be associated tectonics and volcanism, plus the copiousness of H2O for planetal cycling.
Differences:
The cause of these Megaflood events varies on Earth and Mars. Tellurian palaeo-flood events are normally associated with glaciations ensuing from eruptions of meltwater in pro or sub-glacial lakes ( Burr 2007 ) . The Altai-Mountains in Siberia and the sub-glacial Laurentide ice-sheet inundations provide good illustrations of this association. Whereas the causes of Martian Megaflood events, for illustration, day of the month back to the Occidental era ( 3.8-1.8Ga ) which originates at ‘chaos terrain ‘ for illustration, countries that released H2O as force per unit area increased due to magmatic and/or cryospheric processes ( Burr 2007 ) . Martian Megaflood events are besides associated with the flood of impact crater palaeo-lakes and huge upwelling of ruinous inundation flows from subsurface beginnings ( Baker and Milton 1974 ) .
Martian Megaflood events are thought to of happened 10s of 1000000s of old ages ago ( around 1 Ga ago ) whereas Earths organic structure of H2O ( which takes up about 70 % of Earth ‘s surface ) has continued throughout the last 3.9 of the planet ‘s history, which has helped to brace the planets climate engine. Whereas there ‘s a deficiency of grounds that the bulk of Mars surface was covered by H2O, it has merely had impermanent oceans which have non been at that place throughout the planets history.
Decision:
There are many similarities and differences between Martian and Tellurian Megaflood events. In some respects Mars, despite being obviously different, is closer to Earth than any other planet in the solar system. Both planets have, or hold had, H2O circulations and similarities in enduring procedures. Channelss are besides apparent on each planet which are thought by scientists to be formed by H2O. ETC ETC.