Planetary Evolution of Mars

Major Stages of Martian Planetary Evolution

1. Beginning 4.55 eons
2. Magma Ocean 4.6-4.5 eons
3. Cratered Highlands/Early Atmosphere 4.5-3.9 eons NOACHIAN STARTS
4. Tharsis Uplift #1, Frozen Atmosphere, impact event 4.2-3.9 eons
5. Early Mare Cratered Plains/Flooding 3.9-3.5 eons END NOACHIAN, HESPERIAN STARTS
6. Tharsis Uplift #2/Valles Marineris/Channels 3.5-2.5 eons END HESPERIAN, AMAZONION STARTS
7. Milile Mare Plains/Volcanos 3.5?-1.5 eons
8. Late Mare; Plains/Constructional Volcanos/Eolian Deposits 1.5?-0 eons

1. Beginning 4.6 eons

2. Magma Ocean 4.5-4.4 eons

Planet-wide differentiation of a silicon-rich crust and magnesium/iron rich upper mantle (similar to Moon and Earth)
Iron-sulfur core formation with an early strong magnetic field(similar to Earth?)
Final 3 km offset center of figure and center of mass probably led to a thicker crust in the southern hemisphere.

3. Cratered Highlands/Early Atmosphere 4.5-3.9 eons

Noachian period begins.
Highly cratered crust including a few large basins but not nearly as many as recorded on the Moon (general cratering was similar to Moon but possibly even more intense and modified by the presence of an Earth-like atmosphere). Cratered highlands (NASA Photo)
Large, sprawling, low relief volcanos/calderas. Alba Patera-volcano in grooved terrain (NASA Photo) | Tyrrenum Patera-Radial volcano with channels (NASA Photo)
Water cycle contributed to crater erosion, with the possible interlayering of sedimentary strata along with ejecta blankets.
Formation of intercrater plains, possibly by water deposition or lavas or both.
Water migrated into Martian crust.

4. Tharsis Uplift #1/Frozen Atmosphere 4.2-3.9 eons

Fracturing and uplift of a large region of the thin crust in the northern hemisphere, probably due to phase transitions in the upper mantle as radiogenic heat accumulated.
Formation of crustal ice and polar ice caps as atmospheric temperatures dropped due to reduced cratering rates and radiative cooling.

5. Early Mare Cratered Plains/Flooding 3.9-3.5? eons

Residual liquid left from the Magma Ocean possibly entered the crust and erupted to form cratered plains, and the possible formation of sedimentary strata along with the lavas.
Subsequent cratering of the cratered plains continued as the cratering rate decreased, markedly.
Within 30-40^o of the equator, plains features are crisp, lunar-like. At higher latitudes, plains features are much more complex. Figure: Near equatorial cratered plains (NASA Photo). (to be supplied Figure: High latitude cratered plains (NASA Photo). (to be supplied later)
Fretted (mesa, knob, and plains) terrain formed across the contact between cratered highlands and cratered plains. Fretted terrain (NASA Photo). (to be supplied later
Ridged plains apparently formed in response to stresses produced by the Tharsis dome. Figure: Ridged plains (NASA Photo). (to be supplied later)
Structural break-up between northern and southern hemispheres possibly due to movement of residual liquid into and on to the crust.
Major flooding where Early Plains magmas melted crustal ice.
Most like (?) period for the development of precursors to simple life forms.

6. Tharsis Uplift #2/Valles Marineris/Channels 3.5?-2.5? eons

Continuing or new fracturing and uplift of a large region of the thin crust in the northern hemisphere, probably due to melting and possibly convection in the mantle.
Valles Marineris, a major extensional fracture, 5000 km long, probably formed in response to the same forces that produced the Tharsis Uplift #2. Valles
Marineris (NASA Photo) | Full Image | Erosion channel (NASA Photo)
Release of subsurface water along Valles Marineris.

7. Milile 'Mare" Plains/Constructional Volcanos/Erosion 3.5?-2.5? eons

Continuation of volcanic plains formation, possibly with a transition from residual liquid to "mare-like" lavas, and the possible formation of sedimentary strata along with the lavas due to periodic or continuous melting and surface runoff of crustal water.
Most likely (?) period for the evolution of simple life forms.
Occasional large impact events.
Significant water erosion and channel formation

8. Late "Mare" Plains/Constructional Volcanos/ 2.5?-1.5? eons.

Eruption of now unfractured lavas.
Occasional large impact events. Figure: impact crater with evidence of fluidized ejecta (NASA Photo) (to be supplied later)

9. Constructional Volcanos/Eolian erosion 1.5?-0 eons

Evolution of Mars would be different than either the Earth or Moon because:

Intermediate gravitational field (3/8 of Earth's versus 1/6 on the Moon)
Greater distance from the sun, less sunlight per unit area.
Lack of interaction with a large Moon or possibly by the formation of a large moon by fission of the parent body.
Geological activity occurs, but is different to Earths'.

The Planetary Evolution of Mars is different from that of Terra and Luna. Some implications of above factors on the planetary evolution of Mars.

Strong North/South hemispheric dichotomy
Greater size, compared to the Moon, caused lighter elements to be retained, significantly, water and carbon dioxide, & elements of less mass number than 22 Na
Without a strong intrinsic magnetic field, Mars' atmosphere is slowly eroded by interactions with the solar wind.
Prolonged internal heat generation resulted in extended structural disruption and vulcanism including major constructional volcanos.
No evidence for extensive plate tectonic processes unlike the Earth, thus little or little recycling of the crust as on Earth
Early atmosphere may have been similar to Earth's, however, this atmosphere largely disappeared due to lower gravity, lack of a perpetual and strong magnetic field, and lower insolation contributed both to greater loses to space and "early" removal of water as ice.
Cratering effects would be modified by the presence of an atmosphere and geological effects, unlike the moon
Water ice was first observed at the poles, along with seasonal carbon dioxide frost. Subsurface water, in the form of ice is common.
Evidence for past surface water activity strong.

Rebel Mars