Second Conference on Early Mars, geologic, hydrologic, and climatic evolution and the implications for life : October 11 - 15, 2004, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Abstract

The purpose of the conference is twofold: (1) to consider how impacts, volcanism, and the presence of abundant water affected the physical and chemical environment that existed on Mars 4 G.y. ago, particularly as it related to the nature of the global climate, the existence of a primordial ocean, the origin of the valley networks, the geologic and mineralogic evolution of the surface, and the potential presence of local environments that may have been conducive to the development of life and the preservation of its signature in the geologic record; and (2) to discuss the investigations that might be conducted by present and future missions to test the hypotheses arising from (1)