Ice, Water, and the Future of Mars Exploration

Presented on ZOOM Public Lecture March 10th at 7pm

ABOUT THE LECTURE:

“Ice, Water, and the Future of Mars Exploration”

Abstract: ‘Ice is prevalent throughout the Solar System, from permanently-shadowed regions at Mercury’s poles, to the farthest reaches of the Kuiper Belt. In this talk, we will explore ice in the Solar System, with a particular focus on Mars. Mars hosts thick polar ice caps as well as thousands of smaller buried glaciers; in total, approximately one third of Mars’ surface is influenced by perennial ice. Ice on Mars, and the landscapes it has influenced, provide rich records of recent environmental change on the Red Planet. Mars’ ice deposits are prime targets for future robotic and even human missions, and there is much we can learn in preparation for this new era of Mars exploration.’

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Frances Butcher, University of Sheffield.

Frances is a Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield. She did her undergraduate degree in Geography at the University of Cambridge, where she undertook her dissertation on glacial landforms at Mars’ south pole. From there, she moved to The Open University (a major centre for Planetary Science research in the UK) to complete a PhD entitled ‘Wet-Based Glaciation on Mars’. She then moved to Sheffield to undertake a postdoctoral research position with the eminent glacial geomorphologist Prof. Chris Clark, in which she produced a major new reconstruction of the former Scandinavian Ice Sheet on Earth. Since then, she has been back on Mars (but still based in Sheffield!), pursuing her research into current glaciation of the mid-latitudes of Mars.

Frances has worked on several upcoming Mars missions, including on landing site selection for the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin rover mission (launching 2028), and on developing the concepts for several next-generation missions (with ESA, NASA, and the Canadian, Japanese and Italian Space Agencies) which aim to target ice on Mars ahead of the first human missions to the Red Planet.

Frances has spent many happy times in Ireland, both for its amazing glacial landscapes and for leisure; she is working towards visiting all 32 counties. She also spent her childhood as a member of various Astronomy societies in the UK, which provided much of the inspiration for her current career.