Terrestrial permafrost, inhabited by viable microorganisms, represents a range of possible extraterrestrial cryogenic ecosystems on Earth-like planets without obvious surface ice, such as Mars. Due to its specific astronomical location in the Solar System, Mars is the only solid planet that, similar to Earth, contains abundant water supplies, which form the hydrosphere and cryosphere. Different relief forms originating probably from liquid water activity were observed on the Martian surface indicating the presence of dense atmosphere and liquid water in the past. Recent neutron and gamma-ray data from Mars Odyssey displayed two large provinces of high water content in polar regions where water mostly exists in the form of ice due to subzero temperatures. This fact indicates the presence of permafrost on Mars. In balanced terrestrial permafrost environment cells survive significantly longer than in other habitats. If life existed during the early stages of Martian development, then, similar to Earth, remnants of primitive forms may be found within frozen material that protects them against unfavorable conditions. This chapter considers several analogues of Martian environment, among them (i) the suggested age of Antarctic permafrost as an analogue somewhat closer to that of Mars than Arctic permafrost; (ii) free water that can only exist on Mars at shallow depth in the form of cryopegs, formed when Mars became cold in areas of high salts concentrations; (iii) volcano-ice interactions in permafrost areas as a way to have liquid water on Mars due the ongoing subglacial volcanism.
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Demidov, N.E., Gilichinsky, D.A. (2009). Terrestrial Permafrost Models and Analogues of Martian Habitats and Inhabitants. In: Margesin, R. (eds) Permafrost Soils. Soil Biology, vol 16. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69371-0_21
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