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Depletion of Heat Producing Elements in the Martian Mantle
Author(s) -
Ojha Lujendra,
Karimi Saman,
Lewis Kevin W.,
Smrekar Suzanne E.,
Siegler Matt
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl085234
Subject(s) - martian , mantle (geology) , mars exploration program , geology , lithosphere , geophysics , earth's internal heat budget , mantle convection , volcanism , astrobiology , planet , polar , physics , astronomy , paleontology , tectonics
Heat is primarily generated in planetary interiors by the decay of long‐lived heat producing elements (HPE). Planetary heat flow estimates can thus provide critical insights into the thermal state of a planet and the bulk distribution of the HPE. The lack of appreciable lithospheric deflection in the north polar region of Mars by the weight of the polar ice cap is suggestive of low heat flow. Here we model the deflection of the Martian lithosphere and show that the present‐day mantle heat flow cannot exceed 7 mW m −2 in the north polar region of Mars. Our mantle heat flow estimate is notably lower than the heat flow expected from a chondritic mantle suggesting the Martian mantle to be depleted in HPE. If our result is globally representative, lower levels of heat generation in the planet's mantle may have inhibited widespread late‐stage volcanism on Mars.