Noachian-Hesperian Transition and a Possible Climatic Optimum: Evidence from Landforms

A climatic optimum? The often strong contrast between the pristine and degraded Noachian channels and craters might be due to a gradual climatic change superimposed upon an episode of mantling associated with early Hesperian volcanism. On the other hand, one or more episodes of volcanism or large impacts could have induced global warming and produced a relatively short-lived optimum for precipitation and runoff. The rapid cutoff of fluvial activity following the development of the later pristine fluvial features is consistent with this scenario. We discuss the changing style of erosion in the highlands during the Noachian and early Hesperian in a companion abstract to this workshop. Here we review the some of the morphologic evidence for a possible Noachian-Hesperian (N-H) climate optimum.