Mars's water; why the poles?

[dstebbins]

As we all know just from reading 5th-grade level astronomy books, the only known sources of water on Mars are A) permanently frozen solid, and B) located in the north and soul poles of those planets.

Now, the frozen part makes perfect sense. But why the poles? Why that location in particular that caused the water to gravitate towards it?

Does it have to do with the polar magnetic fields? If so, why don't the poles here on Earth also boast the planet's largest congregation of water?

In fact, here in Earth, your likelihood of finding water seems to be primarily determined by altitude, rather than latitude and longitude. Water congregates to areas that are "below sea level," and that makes perfect sense ... because ... well ... gravity!

So why does Mars have its water congregate at the poles? And why isn't that phenomenon also observed here on earth?

[swansont]

 

2 hours ago, dstebbins said:

As we all know just from reading 5th-grade level astronomy books, the only known sources of water on Mars are A) permanently frozen solid, and B) located in the north and soul poles of those planets.

Now, the frozen part makes perfect sense. But why the poles? Why that location in particular that caused the water to gravitate towards it?

Where do we find permanent ice here on the earth? Is it at the equator?

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Does it have to do with the polar magnetic fields? If so, why don't the poles here on Earth also boast the planet's largest congregation of water?

In fact, here in Earth, your likelihood of finding water seems to be primarily determined by altitude, rather than latitude and longitude. Water congregates to areas that are "below sea level," and that makes perfect sense ... because ... well ... gravity!

For liquid water, yes. For solid, not so much. Do you find water at the tops of mountains? What phase is it in?

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So why does Mars have its water congregate at the poles? And why isn't that phenomenon also observed here on earth?

As my questions above indicate, I think your contention that it doesn't is wrong. Water congregating at the poles is most definitely observed here on earth. That it is somewhat less prevalent these days, as the planet warms up, is an issue that is quite troubling.

[dstebbins]

Yeah, we have water all over the place here on earth. Poles and mountaintops usually contain the highest concentrations of solid water.

That wasn't the point. Mars' poles don't just have the highest concentration of solid water on the planet. They're the only places on the planet where more than trace amounts of water can be found at all.

For example, at the end of this video ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbhqHCqjoZ0

... this guy explains how, when the Sun engorges in a billion years, the poles on earth will be the only places where liquid water (and, by proxy, life) will continue to exist. That, of course, makes sense. There will still be water elsewhere on earth, but it will be gas.

Mars isn't like that. The poles are the only sources of water on Mars, period. Not just any specific state.

[Silvestru]

6 minutes ago, dstebbins said:

Mars' poles don't just have the highest concentration of solid water on the planet. They're the only places on the planet where more than trace amounts of water can be found at all.

That's not quite right.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/mars-ice-deposit-holds-as-much-water-as-lake-superior

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/mars-buried-water-ice-subsurface-geology-astronauts-science/

9 minutes ago, dstebbins said:

Mars isn't like that. The poles are the only sources of water on Mars, period. Not just any specific state.

I'm glad you know so much about Mars. Seems like NASA dropped the ball on this one.

NASA Confirms Evidence That Liquid Water Flows on Today’s Mars

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-today-s-mars

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6372/199.full

The body of evidence lies is overwhelming!

[pavelcherepan]

On 6/15/2018 at 3:45 PM, dstebbins said:

Now, the frozen part makes perfect sense. But why the poles? Why that location in particular that caused the water to gravitate towards it?

Even despite the very low temperatures on the surface of Mars, the lack or atmospheric pressure still allows for frozen water to slowly sublimate. Once in gaseous form and with Mars lacking magnetic field, water molecules get destroyed by electromagnetic radiation and then free oxygen and hydrogen easily escape martian gravity. Earth has been losing water due to this, albeit much slower.

At the poles, temperatures are much lower, so sublimation doesn't go as fast and also ice there gets covered by seasonal CO2 ice caps (and dust as well). This reduces the exposure to the direct sunlight and further reduces the sublimation rate.