Mars presents a rich environment for studying ice and volatile processes, from seasonal CO₂ frost cycles to ancient water-carved terrain. Our research focuses on understanding the current and past distribution of water and ice on the Martian surface.

Mars polar cap Mars seasonal frost
(Left) The Martian north polar cap contains vast reservoirs of water ice. (Right) Microscopic image of CO₂ snow particles generated under Mars-like conditions (credit: USDA).

Polar Ice Caps

The Martian polar regions contain vast reservoirs of water ice covered by seasonal CO₂ frost. We study the thermal properties and layering of these deposits to understand Mars’ climate history and the processes that shape the polar landscape today.

Seasonal Frost Cycles

Mars experiences dramatic seasonal changes as CO₂ condenses and sublimes at the polar caps and in shaded regions. Our thermal models help interpret these cycles and their effects on surface properties.

Water Transport and the Polar Vortex

The Martian polar vortices play a critical role in the transport of water into the polar regions. CO₂ snowfall can scavenge significant amounts of water from the atmosphere, depositing it onto the polar caps during winter.

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  • Pieris, H., & Hayne, P. O. (2025). Thermal precursors to regional dust storms on Mars: Observations with Mars Climate Sounder. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 130, e2025JE009216. Link
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  • Alsaeed, N. R., Hayne, P. O., & Concepcion, V. (2024). Seasonal and inter-annual variability in the polar vortex and snowfall on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 129, e2024JE008397. Link
  • Landis, M. E., Acharya, P. J., Alsaeed, N. R., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2024). Polar science results from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Multiwavelength, multiyear insights. Icarus, 419, 115794. Link
  • Hansen, C. J., Byrne, S., Calvin, W. M., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2024). A comparison of CO₂ seasonal activity in Mars' northern and southern hemispheres. Icarus, 419, 115801. Link
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  • Landis, M. E., Dundas, C. M., McEwen, A. S., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2024). New, dated small impacts on the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD), Mars, and implications for shallow subsurface properties. Icarus, 419, 115977. Link
  • Piqueux, S., Hayne, P. O., Kleinböhl, A., et al. (2023). Atmospheric CO₂ depletion near the surface in the Martian polar regions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128, e2022JE007332. Link
  • Bapst, J., Piqueux, S., Edwards, C. S., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2022). Surface dust redistribution on Mars from interannual differences in temperature and albedo. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2022JE007365. Link
  • Alsaeed, N. R., & Hayne, P. O. (2022). Transport of water into the polar regions of Mars through scavenging by CO₂ snowfall. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2022JE007386. Link
  • Innanen, A. C., Landis, M. E., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2022). Possible atmospheric water vapor contribution from Martian swiss cheese terrain. Planetary Science Journal, 3, 242. Link
  • Wilcoski, A. X., & Hayne, P. O. (2020). Surface roughness evolution and implications for the age of the north polar residual cap of Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, e2020JE006570. Link
  • Gary-Bicas, C. E., Hayne, P. O., & Horvath, T. (2020). Asymmetries in snowfall, emissivity, and albedo of Mars' seasonal polar caps: Mars Climate Sounder observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, e2019JE006150. Link
  • Smith, I. B., Hayne, P. O., Byrne, S., et al. (2020). The Holy Grail: A road map for unlocking the climate record stored within Mars' polar layered deposits. Planetary and Space Science, 184, 104841. Link
  • Buhler, P. B., Ingersoll, A. P., Piqueux, S., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2020). Coevolution of Mars's atmosphere and massive south polar CO₂ ice deposit. Nature Astronomy, 4, 364–371. Link
  • Piqueux, S., Buz, J., Edwards, C. S., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2019). Widespread shallow water ice on Mars at high latitudes and midlatitudes. Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 14,290–14,298. Link
  • Bapst, J., Byrne, S., Bandfield, J. L., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2019). Thermophysical properties of the north polar residual cap using Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 124, 1315–1330. Link
  • Heavens, N. G., Kleinböhl, A., Chaffin, M. S., ..., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2018). Hydrogen escape from Mars enhanced by deep convection in dust storms. Nature Astronomy, 2, 126–132. Link
  • Piqueux, S., Kleinböhl, A., Hayne, P. O., Heavens, N. G., Kass, D. M., McCleese, D. J., Schofield, J. T., & Shirley, J. H. (2016). Discovery of a widespread low-latitude diurnal CO₂ frost cycle on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 121, 1174–1189. Link
  • Heavens, N. G., Cantor, B. A., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2015). Extreme detached dust layers near Martian volcanoes: Evidence for dust transport by mesoscale circulations forced by high topography. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 3730–3738. Link
  • Piqueux, S., Kleinböhl, A., Hayne, P. O., et al. (2015). Variability of the Martian seasonal CO₂ cap extent over eight Mars years. Icarus, 251, 164–180. Link
  • Hayne, P. O., Paige, D. A., & Heavens, N. G. (2014). The role of snowfall in forming the seasonal ice caps of Mars: Models and constraints from the Mars Climate Sounder. Icarus, 231, 122–130. Link
  • Hayne, P. O., Paige, D. A., Schofield, J. T., Kass, D. M., Kleinböhl, A., Heavens, N. G., & McCleese, D. J. (2012). Carbon dioxide snow clouds on Mars: South polar winter observations by the Mars Climate Sounder. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 117, E08014. Link