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Don Juan Pond, Antarctica: Near-surface CaCl2-brine feeding Earth’s most saline lake and implications for Mars

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  • The discovery on Mars of recurring slope lineae (RSL), thought to represent seasonal brines, has sparked interest in analogous environments on Earth. We report on new studies of Don Juan Pond (DJP), which exists at the upper limit of ephemeral water in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica, and is adjacent to several steep-sloped water tracks, the closest analog for RSL. The source of DJP has been interpreted to be deep groundwater. We present time-lapse data and meteorological measurements that confirm deliquescence within the DJP watershed and show that this, together with small amounts of meltwater, are capable of generating brines that control summertime water levels. Groundwater input was not observed. In addition to providing an analog for RSL formation, CaCl2 brines and chloride deposits in basins may provide clues to the origin of ancient chloride deposits on Mars dating from the transition period from "warm/wet" to "cold/dry" climates.
  • Keywords: Ecosystem, Seeps, Taylor valley, Climate sciences, Water, Planetary science, Chemistry, Subsurface, Desert, Environmental Sciences, Inner planets, McMurdo dry valleys, Southern Victoria land, Model
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  • Dickson, J. L., Head, J. W., Levy, J. S., & Marchant, D. R. (2013). Don juan pond, antarctica: Near-surface CaCl(2)-brine feeding earth's most saline lake and implications for mars. Scientific Reports, 3, 1166.
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  • 3
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  • 1166
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