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The authors are thankful to an editor and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful comments. C.P.M. acknowledges support from the NASA Astrobiology Program. I.E.-G., J.R., and A.J.-D. are supported by Project PID2022-140686NB-I00 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Universities (I.E.-G., J.R., and A.J.-D.).

Analysis of institutional authors

Jimenez-Diaz, AlbertoAuthor

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March 1, 2025
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Ammonia or Methanol Would Enable Subsurface Liquid Water at the Martian South Pole

Publicated to:Astrobiology. 25 (3): 201-208 - 2025-02-17 25(3), DOI: 10.1089/ast.2024.0075

Authors: Egea-Gonzalez, Isabel; Mckay, Christopher P; Hallsworth, John E; Jimenez-Diaz, Alberto; Ruiz, Javier

Affiliations

NASA Ames Res Ctr, Space Sci Div, Moffett Field, CA USA - Author
Queens Univ Belfast, Inst Global Food Secur, Med Biol Ctr, Sch Biol Sci, Belfast, North Ireland - Author
Univ Cadiz, Escuela Super Ingn, Dept Fis Aplicada, Cadiz 11519, Spain - Author
Univ Complutense Madrid, Fac Ciencias Geol, Dept Geodinam Estratig & Paleontol, Madrid, Spain - Author
Univ Rey Juan Carlos, Dept Biol & Geol, Fis & Quim Inorgan, ESCET, Madrid, Spain - Author
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Abstract

The notion of liquid water beneath the ice layer at the south polar layered deposits (SPLD) of Mars is an interesting possibility given the implications for astrobiology and possible human habitation. A body of liquid water located at a depth of 1.5 km has been inferred from radar data in the South Polar Cap. However, the high temperatures that would facilitate the existence of liquid water or brine at that depth are not consistent with estimations of heat flow that are based on the lithosphere's flexure. Attempts to reconcile both issues have been inconclusive or otherwise unsuccessful. Here, we analyze the possible role(s) of subsurface ammonia and/or methanol in maintaining water in a liquid state at subsurface temperatures that are compatible with the lithosphere strength. Our results indicate that the presence of these compounds at the base of the SPLD can reconcile the existence of liquid water with previous estimations of surface heat flow.

Keywords

AmmoniaCaChaotropicityDensityDepositsIceLiquid waterMarsMars—liquid water—south pole—ammonia—methanolMethanolSouth poleThermal evolution

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Astrobiology due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Miscellaneous).

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-27:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 6.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 6 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 14.
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 2 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: United Kingdom; United States of America.