发表机构
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University; HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Konkoly Observatory; European Astrobiology Institute（厄特沃什·罗兰大学; 匈牙利科学院天文学与地球科学研究中心，孔科利天文台; 欧洲天体生物学研究所）
机构由 AI 辅助整理，请以论文原文为准。AI 中文总结
本研究提出概念模型，表明火星盐晶体微裂缝可通过热胀冷缩留存液态水，形成光合生命潜在栖息地，为近地表卤水留存提供概念可行性分析。
AI 中文摘要
本文提出一个概念模型，探究在火星温暖的白天时段，液态水如何与假设的微生物保持直接接触。吸湿性表面盐类（如NaCl、CaCl₂、Ca(ClO₄)₂、石膏、MgSO₄）可吸收水汽形成液态溶液，但白天暴露通常会导致快速干燥。我们提出一种机制：昼夜温度波动驱动热胀冷缩循环，使盐晶体的微裂缝开合；夜间凝结的潮解液体会渗入这些裂缝，在白天较温暖时段裂缝部分闭合，从而困住液态水并阻止其立即蒸发。热诱导体积变化（晶相变化范围约0.5-0.9%，浓缩溶液可达百分之几）证明了这种循环孔隙动态的可行性。对潮解和盐分布的建模表明，在阿西达利亚平原附近，火星年中约有100-130个太阳日可形成夜间微液态水。在土壤或盐结构内2-3毫米深度处，假设的微生物可获得部分紫外线屏蔽，同时仍能获取可见光。总体而言，晶体内部微裂缝可提供短暂的白天液态微环境，凸显这些位置是现代火星光合生命的潜在候选栖息地。本研究是对当前火星条件下吸湿性盐结构内近地表卤水留存的概念可行性分析。
英文摘要
This paper presents a conceptual model exploring how liquid water could be maintained in direct contact with hypothetical microorganisms during warm daytime periods on Mars. Hygroscopic surface salts (e.g., NaCl, CaCl$_2$, Ca(ClO$_4$)$_2$, gypsum, MgSO$_4$) can absorb water vapor and form liquid solutions; however, daytime exposure normally causes rapid drying. We propose a mechanism where diurnal temperature fluctuations drive thermal expansion and contraction cycles that open and close micro-cracks in salt crystals. Nighttime-condensed deliquescent liquid penetrates these fractures, which then partially close during warmer daytime hours, trapping liquid water inside and preventing immediate evaporation. Thermally induced volume changes (ranging from ~0.5-0.9% in crystalline phases up to several percent in concentrated solutions) support the feasibility of this cyclic aperture dynamic. Modeling deliquescence and salt distribution indicates that nighttime microscopic liquid can form for ~100-130 sols per Martian year near Acidalia Planitia. At depths of 2-3 mm within soil or salt structures, hypothetical microorganisms would gain partial UV shielding while retaining access to visible light. Overall, internal crystal micro-fractures may offer transient daytime liquid microenvironments, highlighting these locations as potential candidate habitats for photosynthetic life on modern Mars.This study serves as a conceptual feasibility analysis for near-surface brine retention within hygroscopic salt structures under present-day Martian conditions.
Comments35 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables
Journal refIcarus, 2026, Volume 460, 117273
DOI：10.1016/j.icarus.2026.117273
