Articles | Volume 19, issue 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6909-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6909-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Model description paper
| Highlight paper
| 
29 Jul 2026
Model description paper | Highlight paper |
| 29 Jul 2026
| 29 Jul 2026
A global high-resolution hydrological model to simulate the dynamics of surface liquid reservoirs: application on Mars
Alexandre Gauvain
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
François Forget
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Martin Turbet
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
Jean-Baptiste Clément
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Lucas Lange
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Romain Vandemeulebrouck
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Related authors
Alexandre Gauvain, Ronan Abhervé, Bastien Boivin, Clément Roques, Martin Le Mesnil, Alexandre Coche, Tristan Babey, Jean Marçais, Camille Bouchez, Sarah Leray, Etienne Marti, Etienne Bresciani, Ronny Figueroa, Mathias Pélissier, Luca Guillaumot, Théa Touzeau, Imene Issolah, Enzo Maugan, Rock S. Bagagnan, Camille Vautier, June Sallou, Johan Bourcier, Benoit Combemale, Philip Brunner, Laurent Longuevergne, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-868, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-868, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
HydroModPy was developed to make it easier and faster to deploy groundwater models across multiple catchments. Although such models are widely used, setting them up often requires significant time and expertise. HydroModPy automates key steps, from preparing maps and input data to building models and running simulations. It is specifically designed for shallow aquifers and supports transparent, reproducible studies of groundwater. This tool can improve water management, research, and education.
Alexandre Gauvain, Ronan Abhervé, Alexandre Coche, Martin Le Mesnil, Clément Roques, Camille Bouchez, Jean Marçais, Sarah Leray, Etienne Marti, Ronny Figueroa, Etienne Bresciani, Camille Vautier, Bastien Boivin, June Sallou, Johan Bourcier, Benoit Combemale, Philip Brunner, Laurent Longuevergne, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3962, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3962, 2025
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
HydroModPy is an open-source toolbox that makes it easier to study and model groundwater flow at catchment scale. By combining mapping tools with groundwater modeling, it automates the process of building, analyzing and deploying aquifer models. This allows researchers to simulate groundwater flow that sustains stream baseflows, providing insights for the hydrology community. Designed to be accessible and customizable, HydroModPy supports sustainable water management, research, and education.
Ronan Abhervé, Clément Roques, Alexandre Gauvain, Laurent Longuevergne, Stéphane Louaisil, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3221–3239, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3221-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3221-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a model calibration method constraining groundwater seepage in the hydrographic network. The method assesses the hydraulic properties of aquifers in regions where perennial streams are directly fed by groundwater. The estimated hydraulic conductivity appear to be highly sensitive to the spatial extent and density of streams. Such an approach improving subsurface characterization from surface information is particularly interesting for ungauged basins.
Siddharth Bhatnagar, Francis Codron, Ehouarn Millour, Emeline Bolmont, Maura Brunetti, Jérôme Kasparian, Martin Turbet, and Guillaume Chaverot
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 3285–3316, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-3285-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-3285-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We present an efficient ocean model coupled to a 3-D climate model (the Generic-PCM) that captures key features of ocean heat transport, matching well the global heat flows of more complex models. It closely reproduces Earth’s sea surface temperatures and sea ice, while influencing atmospheric circulation consistently. Balancing speed and accuracy, the model is ideal for exoplanet and paleoclimate studies, where observations are limited and broad parameter exploration is necessary.
Alexandre Gauvain, Ronan Abhervé, Bastien Boivin, Clément Roques, Martin Le Mesnil, Alexandre Coche, Tristan Babey, Jean Marçais, Camille Bouchez, Sarah Leray, Etienne Marti, Etienne Bresciani, Ronny Figueroa, Mathias Pélissier, Luca Guillaumot, Théa Touzeau, Imene Issolah, Enzo Maugan, Rock S. Bagagnan, Camille Vautier, June Sallou, Johan Bourcier, Benoit Combemale, Philip Brunner, Laurent Longuevergne, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-868, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-868, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
HydroModPy was developed to make it easier and faster to deploy groundwater models across multiple catchments. Although such models are widely used, setting them up often requires significant time and expertise. HydroModPy automates key steps, from preparing maps and input data to building models and running simulations. It is specifically designed for shallow aquifers and supports transparent, reproducible studies of groundwater. This tool can improve water management, research, and education.
Alexandre Gauvain, Ronan Abhervé, Alexandre Coche, Martin Le Mesnil, Clément Roques, Camille Bouchez, Jean Marçais, Sarah Leray, Etienne Marti, Ronny Figueroa, Etienne Bresciani, Camille Vautier, Bastien Boivin, June Sallou, Johan Bourcier, Benoit Combemale, Philip Brunner, Laurent Longuevergne, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3962, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3962, 2025
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
HydroModPy is an open-source toolbox that makes it easier to study and model groundwater flow at catchment scale. By combining mapping tools with groundwater modeling, it automates the process of building, analyzing and deploying aquifer models. This allows researchers to simulate groundwater flow that sustains stream baseflows, providing insights for the hydrology community. Designed to be accessible and customizable, HydroModPy supports sustainable water management, research, and education.
Ronan Abhervé, Clément Roques, Alexandre Gauvain, Laurent Longuevergne, Stéphane Louaisil, Luc Aquilina, and Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3221–3239, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3221-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3221-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a model calibration method constraining groundwater seepage in the hydrographic network. The method assesses the hydraulic properties of aquifers in regions where perennial streams are directly fed by groundwater. The estimated hydraulic conductivity appear to be highly sensitive to the spatial extent and density of streams. Such an approach improving subsurface characterization from surface information is particularly interesting for ungauged basins.
Cited articles
Andrews-Hanna, J. C., Zuber, M. T., Arvidson, R. E., and Wiseman, S. M.: Early Mars hydrology: Meridiani playa deposits and the sedimentary record of Arabia Terra, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 115, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JE003485, 2010. a
Barnes, R.: RichDEM: Terrain Analysis Software, http://github.com/r-barnes/richdem (last access: 9 October 2025), 2016. a
Barnes, R., Lehman, C., and Mulla, D.: Priority-flood: An optimal depression-filling and watershed-labeling algorithm for digital elevation models, Comput. Geosci., 62, 117–127, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2013.04.024, 2014. a
Bartos, M.: pysheds: simple and fast watershed delineation in python, Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3822494, 2020. a
Beck, P., Beyssac, O., Dehouck, E., Bernard, S., Pineau, M., Mandon, L., Royer, C., Clavé, E., Schröder, S., Forni, O., Francis, R., Mangold, N., Bedford, C., Broz, A., Cloutis, E., Johnson, J., Poulet, F., Fouchet, T., Quantin-Nataf, C., Pilorget, C., Rapin, W., Meslin, P.-Y., Gabriel, T., Arana, G., Madariaga, J., Brown, A., Maurice, S., Clegg, S., Gasnault, O., Cousin, A., and Wiens, R.: From hydrated silica to quartz: Potential hydrothermal precipitates found in Jezero crater, Mars, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 656, 119256, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119256, 2025. a
Bibring, J.-P., Langevin, Y., Mustard, J. F., Poulet, F., Arvidson, R., Gendrin, A., Gondet, B., Mangold, N., Pinet, P., Forget, F., Berthé, M., Bibring, J.-P., Gendrin, A., Gomez, C., Gondet, B., Jouglet, D., Poulet, F., Soufflot, A., Vincendon, M., Combes, M., Drossart, P., Encrenaz, T., Fouchet, T., Merchiorri, R., Belluci, G., Altieri, F., Formisano, V., Capaccioni, F., Cerroni, P., Coradini, A., Fonti, S., Korablev, O., Kottsov, V., Ignatiev, N., Moroz, V., Titov, D., Zasova, L., Loiseau, D., Mangold, N., Pinet, P., Douté, S., Schmitt, B., Sotin, C., Hauber, E., Hoffmann, H., Jaumann, R., Keller, U., Arvidson, R., Mustard, J. F., Duxbury, T., Forget, F., and Neukum, G.: Global Mineralogical and Aqueous Mars History Derived from OMEGA/Mars Express Data, Science, 312, 400–404, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1122659, 2006. a, b
Boatwright, B. D. and Head, J. W.: Simulating early Mars hydrology with the MARSSIM landform evolution model: New insights from an integrated system of precipitation, infiltration, and groundwater flow, Planet. Space Sci., 171, 17–33, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.04.001, 2019. a
Bouley, S., Ansan, V., Mangold, N., Masson, P., and Neukum, G.: Fluvial morphology of Naktong Vallis, Mars: A late activity with multiple processes, Planet. Space Sci., 57, 982–999, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2009.01.015, 2009. a
Bouley, S., Baratoux, D., Matsuyama, I., Forget, F., Séjourné, A., Turbet, M., and Costard, F.: Late Tharsis Formation and Implications for Early Mars, Nature, 531, 344–347, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17171, 2016. a, b, c, d
Callaghan, K. L. and Wickert, A. D.: Computing water flow through complex landscapes – Part 1: Incorporating depressions in flow routing using FlowFill, Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 737–753, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-737-2019, 2019. a
Carr, M. H. and Chuang, F. C.: Martian drainage densities, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 102, 9145–9152, https://doi.org/10.1029/97JE00113, 1997. a
Carr, M. H. and Clow, G. D.: Martian channels and valleys: Their characteristics, distribution, and age, Icarus, 48, 91–117, https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(81)90156-1, 1981. a, b
Carr, M. H. and Head, J. W.: Martian Surface/near-Surface Water Inventory: Sources, Sinks, and Changes with Time, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 726–732, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062464, 2015. a, b
Carr, M. H. and Malin, M. C.: Meter-Scale Characteristics of Martian Channels and Valleys, Icarus, 146, 366–386, https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.2000.6428, 2000. a, b
Carter, J., Loizeau, D., Mangold, N., Poulet, F., and Bibring, J.-P.: Widespread surface weathering on early Mars: A case for a warmer and wetter climate, Icarus, 248, 373–382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.11.011, 2015. a
Citron, R. I., Manga, M., and Hemingway, D. J.: Timing of oceans on Mars from shoreline deformation, Nature, 555, 643–646, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature26144, 2018. a
Clément, J.-B., Forget, F., Lange, L., Vos, E., Millour, E., Naar, J., and Vandemeulebrouck, R.: Investigating Long-Term Mars Climate Evolution: The Planetary Evolution Model, in: Tenth International Conference on Mars, pp. LPI Contribution No. 3007, 2024, id.3064, Pasadena, United States, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/tenthmars2024/pdf/3064.pdf (last access: 9 October 2025), 2024. a
Craddock, R. A. and Howard, A. D.: The case for rainfall on a warm, wet early Mars, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 107, 21-1–21-36, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JE001505, 2002. a
Dai, A. and Trenberth, K. E.: Estimates of Freshwater Discharge from Continents: Latitudinal and Seasonal Variations, J. Hydrometeorol., 3, 660–687, https://doi.org/10.1175/1525-7541(2002)003<0660:EOFDFC>2.0.CO;2, 2002. a
Ehlmann, B. L., Mustard, J. F., Murchie, S. L., Bibring, J.-P., Meunier, A., Fraeman, A. A., and Langevin, Y.: Subsurface water and clay mineral formation during the early history of Mars, Nature, 479, 53–60, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10582, 2011. a
Fan, Y. and Miguez-Macho, G.: A Simple Hydrologic Framework for Simulating Wetlands in Climate and Earth System Models, Clim. Dynam., 37, 253–278, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-010-0829-8, 2011. a
Fassett, C. I. and Head, J. W.: Fluvial sedimentary deposits on Mars: Ancient deltas in a crater lake in the Nili Fossae region, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL023456, 2005. a
Fassett, C. I. and Head, J. W.: Valley Network-Fed, Open-Basin Lakes on Mars: Distribution and Implications for Noachian Surface and Subsurface Hydrology, Icarus, 198, 37–56, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2008.06.016, 2008. a, b, c
Forget, F., Clement, J. B., Gauvain, A., Lange, L., Luo, Y., Maurice, M., Naar, J., Pierron, T., Vos, E., Lefevre, F., Turbet, M., Spiga, A., and Millour, E.: The “Mars Through Time” Project: Climate Modelling of the Evolution of the Environment and Surface of Mars, in: LPI Contributions, vol. 3007 of LPI Contributions, p. 3546, https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/tenthmars2024/pdf/3546.pdf (last access: 9 October 2025), 2024. a
Freeman, T.: Calculating catchment area with divergent flow based on a regular grid, Comput. Geosci.s, 17, 413–422, https://doi.org/10.1016/0098-3004(91)90048-I, 1991. a
Gailleton, B., Steer, P., Davy, P., Schwanghart, W., and Bernard, T.: GraphFlood 1.0: an efficient algorithm to approximate 2D hydrodynamics for landscape evolution models, Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1295–1313, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1295-2024, 2024. a
Gauvain, A.: A Global High-Resolution Hydrological Model to Simulate the Dynamics of Surface Liquid Reservoirs: Application on Mars (Model and Datasets), Zenodo [code and data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17208793, 2025. a
Goudge, T. A., Fassett, C. I., Head, J. W., Mustard, J. F., and Aureli, K. L.: Insights into Surface Runoff on Early Mars from Paleolake Basin Morphology and Stratigraphy, Geology, 44, 419–422, https://doi.org/10.1130/G37734.1, 2016. a, b, c, d
Grau Galofre, A., Jellinek, A. M., and Osinski, G. R.: Valley Formation on Early Mars by Subglacial and Fluvial Erosion, Nat. Geosci., 13, 663–668, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-0618-x, 2020. a
Harrison, K. P. and Grimm, R. E.: Groundwater-controlled valley networks and the decline of surface runoff on early Mars, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 110, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JE002455, 2005. a
Head, J. W., Hiesinger, H., Ivanov, M. A., Kreslavsky, M. A., Pratt, S., and Thomson, B. J.: Possible Ancient Oceans on Mars: Evidence from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Data, Science, 286, 2134–2137, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.286.5447.2134, 1999. a
Hiatt, E., Shadab, M. A., Gulick, S. P., Goudge, T. A., and Hesse, M. A.: Limited recharge of the southern highlands aquifer on early Mars, Icarus, 408, 115774, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115774, 2024. a
Hoke, M. R., Hynek, B. M., and Tucker, G. E.: Formation timescales of large Martian valley networks, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 312, 1–12, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.09.053, 2011. a
Horvath, D. G. and Andrews-Hanna, J. C.: Reconstructing the past climate at Gale crater, Mars, from hydrological modeling of late-stage lakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 8196–8204, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074654, 2017. a, b
Horvath, D. G. and Andrews-Hanna, J. C.: The hydrology and climate of Mars during the sedimentary infilling of Gale crater, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 568, 117032, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2021.117032, 2021. a
Houston, J.: Evaporation in the Atacama Desert: An empirical study of spatio-temporal variations and their causes, J. Hydrol., 330, 402–412, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.03.036, 2006. a
Howard, A. D.: Simulating the Development of Martian Highland Landscapes through the Interaction of Impact Cratering, Fluvial Erosion, and Variable Hydrologic Forcing, Geomorphology, 91, 332–363, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.04.017, 2007. a
Irwin III, R. P., Howard, A. D., and Maxwell, T. A.: Geomorphology of Ma'adim Vallis, Mars, and associated paleolake basins, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 109, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JE002287, 2004. a
Irwin, R. P., I., Craddock, R. A., and Howard, A. D.: Interior channels in Martian valley networks: Discharge and runoff production, Geology, 33, 489–492, https://doi.org/10.1130/G21333.1, 2005a. a, b
Irwin, R. P., I., Howard, A. D., Craddock, R. A., and Moore, J. M.: An intense terminal epoch of widespread fluvial activity on early Mars: 2. Increased runoff and paleolake development, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 110, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JE002460, 2005b. a
Ivanov, M., Erkeling, G., Hiesinger, H., Bernhardt, H., and Reiss, D.: Topography of the Deuteronilus Contact on Mars: Evidence for an Ancient Water/Mud Ocean and Long-Wavelength Topographic Readjustments, Planet. Space Sci., 144, 49–70, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2017.05.012, 2017. a, b
Jakosky, B. M. and Hallis, L. J.: Fate of an Earth-Like Water Inventory on Mars, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 129, e2023JE008159, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JE008159, 2024. a
Kamada, A., Kuroda, T., Kasaba, Y., Terada, N., Nakagawa, H., and Toriumi, K.: A coupled atmosphere–hydrosphere global climate model of early Mars: A “cool and wet” scenario for the formation of water channels, Icarus, 338, 113567, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.113567, 2020. a
Kamada, A., Kuroda, T., Kasaba, Y., Terada, N., and Nakagawa, H.: Global climate and river transport simulations of early Mars around the Noachian and Hesperian boundary, Icarus, 368, 114618, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114618, 2021. a
Kite, E. S., Mayer, D. P., Wilson, S. A., Davis, J. M., Lucas, A. S., and de Quay, G. S.: Persistence of intense, climate-driven runoff late in Mars history, Sci. Adv., 5, eaav7710, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aav7710, 2019. a
Li, J., Liu, H., Meng, X., Duan, D., Lu, H., Zhang, J., Zhang, F., Elsworth, D., Cardenas, B. T., Manga, M., Zhou, B., and Fang, G.: Ancient ocean coastal deposits imaged on Mars, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 122, e2422213122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422213122, 2025. a
Liu, D., Cheng, W., Qian, Z., Liu, J., Liu, J., and Wang, X.: A global catalog of Martian impact craters with actual boundaries and degradation states, Int. J. Appl. Earth Obs., 131, 103952, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103952, 2024. a
Luo, W. and Howard, A. D.: Computer simulation of the role of groundwater seepage in forming Martian valley networks, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet, 113, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JE002981, 2008. a
Malin, M. C. and Carr, M. H.: Groundwater Formation of Martian Valleys, Nature, 397, 589–591, https://doi.org/10.1038/17551, 1999. a
Malin, M. C. and Edgett, K. S.: Sedimentary Rocks of Early Mars, Science, 290, 1927–1937, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5498.1927, 2000. a
Mangold, N., Quantin, C., Ansan, V., Delacourt, C., and Allemand, P.: Evidence for Precipitation on Mars from Dendritic Valleys in the Valles Marineris Area, Science, 305, 78–81, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1097549, 2004. a
Mangold, N., Mangold, N., Mangold, N., Howard, A. D., and Howard, A. D.: Outflow channels with deltaic deposits in Ismenius Lacus, Mars, Icarus, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2013.05.040, 2013. a
Matsubara, Y., Howard, A. D., and Drummond, S. A.: Hydrology of Early Mars: Lake Basins, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 116, E04001, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JE003739, 2011. a, b, c
Matsubara, Y., Howard, A. D., and Gochenour, J. P.: Hydrology of Early Mars: Valley Network Incision: HYDROLOGY OF EARLY MARS: VALLEY INCISION, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 118, 1365–1387, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgre.20081, 2013. a, b
Morgan, A. M.: New maximum constraints on the era of martian valley network formation, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 626, 118509, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118509, 2024. a
Morgan, G. A. and Head, J. W.: Sinton crater, Mars: Evidence for impact into a plateau icefield and melting to produce valley networks at the Hesperian–Amazonian boundary, Icarus, 202, 39–59, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.025, 2009. a
Neumann, G. A., Rowlands, D. D., Lemoine, F. G., Smith, D. E., and Zuber, M. T.: Crossover analysis of Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 106, 23753–23768, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JE001381, 2001. a, b
Noel, S. A., Ault, A. C., Buckmaster, D. R., and Krogmeier, J. V.: A Rainfall-Based, Sequential Depression-Filling Algorithm and Assessments on a Watershed in Northeastern Indiana, USA, J. Adv. Model. Earth Sy., 13, e2020MS002362, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020MS002362, 2021. a
O'Callaghan, J. F. and Mark, D. M.: The extraction of drainage networks from digital elevation data, Comput. Vision Graph., 28, 323–344, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0734-189X(84)80011-0, 1984. a, b
Palucis, M. C., Dietrich, W. E., Hayes, A. G., Williams, R. M. E., Gupta, S., Mangold, N., Newsom, H., Hardgrove, C., Calef III, F., and Sumner, D. Y.: The origin and evolution of the Peace Vallis fan system that drains to the Curiosity landing area, Gale Crater, Mars, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 119, 705–728, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004583, 2014. a
Perron, J. T., Mitrovica, J. X., Manga, M., Matsuyama, I., and Richards, M. A.: Evidence for an Ancient Martian Ocean in the Topography of Deformed Shorelines, Nature, 447, 840–843, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05873, 2007. a, b
Phillips, R. J., Zuber, M. T., Solomon, S. C., Golombek, M. P., Jakosky, B. M., Banerdt, W. B., Smith, D. E., Williams, R. M. E., Hynek, B. M., Aharonson, O., and II, S. A. H.: Ancient Geodynamics and Global-Scale Hydrology on Mars, Science, 291, 2587–2591, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1058701, 2001. a
Robbins, S. J. and Hynek, B. M.: A new global database of Mars impact craters ≥1 km: 1. Database creation, properties, and parameters, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 117, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JE003966, 2012. a, b, c
Salles, T., Mallard, C., and Zahirovic, S.: gospl: Global Scalable Paleo Landscape Evolution, J. Open Source Softw., 5, 2804, https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.02804, 2020. a
Salles, T., Husson, L., Rey, P., Mallard, C., Zahirovic, S., Boggiani, B. H., Coltice, N., and Arnould, M.: Hundred million years of landscape dynamics from catchment to global scale, Science, 379, 918–923, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.add2541, 2023. a
Scheller, E. L., Ehlmann, B. L., Hu, R., Adams, D. J., and Yung, Y. L.: Long-term drying of Mars by sequestration of ocean-scale volumes of water in the crust, Science, 372, 56–62, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abc7717, 2021. a
Seybold, H. J., Kite, E., and Kirchner, J. W.: Branching geometry of valley networks on Mars and Earth and its implications for early Martian climate, Sci. Adv., 4, eaar6692, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar6692, 2018. a
Shadab, M. A., Hiatt, E., Bahia, R. S., Bohacek, E. V., Steinmann, V., and Hesse, M. A.: Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implications, Geophys. Res. Lett., 52, e2024GL111939, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111939, 2025. a
Sholes, S. F., Dickeson, Z. I., Montgomery, D. R., and Catling, D. C.: Where are Mars’ Hypothesized Ocean Shorelines? Large Lateral and Topographic Offsets Between Different Versions of Paleoshoreline Maps, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 126, e2020JE006486, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JE006486, 2021. a, b, c
Shook, K., Spiteri, R. J., Pomeroy, J. W., Liu, T., and Sharomi, O.: WDPM: the Wetland DEM Ponding Model, J. Open Source Softw., 6, 2276, https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.02276, 2021. a
Smith, D. E., Zuber, M. T., Solomon, S. C., Phillips, R. J., Head, J. W., Garvin, J. B., Banerdt, W. B., Muhleman, D. O., Pettengill, G. H., Neumann, G. A., Lemoine, F. G., Abshire, J. B., Aharonson, O., David, C., null, Hauck, S. A., Ivanov, A. B., McGovern, P. J., Zwally, H. J., and Duxbury, T. C.: The Global Topography of Mars and Implications for Surface Evolution, Science, 284, 1495–1503, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5419.1495, 1999. a, b, c
Smith, D. E., Zuber, M. T., Frey, H. V., Garvin, J. B., Head, J. W., Muhleman, D. O., Pettengill, G. H., Phillips, R. J., Solomon, S. C., Zwally, H. J., Banerdt, W. B., Duxbury, T. C., Golombek, M. P., Lemoine, F. G., Neumann, G. A., Rowlands, D. D., Aharonson, O., Ford, P. G., Ivanov, A. B., Johnson, C. L., McGovern, P. J., Abshire, J. B., Afzal, R. S., and Sun, X.: Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 106, 23689–23722, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JE001364, 2001. a, b, c
Sood, A., Sood, A., Smakhtin, V., and Smakhtin, V. U.: Global hydrological models: a review, Hydrolog. Sci. J., https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2014.950580, 2015. a
Stucky de Quay, G., Goudge, T. A., and Fassett, C. I.: Precipitation and aridity constraints from paleolakes on early Mars, Geology, 48, 1189–1193, https://doi.org/10.1130/G47886.1, 2020. a
Tanaka, K. L., Skinner, J. A., Dohm, J. M., Iii, R. P. I., Kolb, E. J., Fortezzo, C. M., Platz, T., Michael, G. G., and Hare, T. M.: Geologic Map of Mars, Tech. Rep. 3292, U.S. Geological Survey, ISSN 2329-132X, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3292, 2014. a
Turbet, M. and Forget, F.: 3-D Global modelling of the early martian climate under a dense CO2+H2 atmosphere and for a wide range of surface water inventories, arXiv [preprint], https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2103.10301, 2021. a, b
Turbet, M., Forget, F., Head, J. W., and Wordsworth, R.: 3D modelling of the climatic impact of outflow channel formation events on early Mars, Icarus, 288, 10–36, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.01.024, 2017. a
van Jaarsveld, B., Wanders, N., Sutanudjaja, E. H., Hoch, J., Droppers, B., Janzing, J., van Beek, R. L. P. H., and Bierkens, M. F. P.: A first attempt to model global hydrology at hyper-resolution, Earth Syst. Dynam., 16, 29–54, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-16-29-2025, 2025. a
Verkaik, J., Sutanudjaja, E. H., Oude Essink, G. H. P., Lin, H. X., and Bierkens, M. F. P.: GLOBGM v1.0: a parallel implementation of a 30 arcsec PCR-GLOBWB-MODFLOW global-scale groundwater model, Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 275–300, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-275-2024, 2024. a
Villanueva, G. L., Mumma, M. J., Novak, R. E., Käufl, H. U., Hartogh, P., Encrenaz, T., Tokunaga, A., Khayat, A., and Smith, M. D.: Strong Water Isotopic Anomalies in the Martian Atmosphere: Probing Current and Ancient Reservoirs, Science, 348, 218–221, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa3630, 2015. a
Williams, R. M. E. and Phillips, R. J.: Morphometric measurements of martian valley networks from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 106, 23737–23751, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JE001409, 2001. a, b, c
Wordsworth, R., Forget, F., Millour, E., Head, J., Madeleine, J.-B., and Charnay, B.: Global modelling of the early martian climate under a denser CO2 atmosphere: Water cycle and ice evolution, Icarus, 222, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.036, 2013. a, b
Wordsworth, R., Kerber, L., Pierrehumbert, R. T., Forget, F., and Head, J. W.: Comparison of “warm and wet” and “cold and icy” scenarios for early Mars in a 3-D climate model, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 120, 1201–1219, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004787, 2015. a, b, c
Zuber, M. T.: Oceans on Mars formed early, Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-03415-x, 2018. a
Editorial statement
Observational evidence suggests that the planet Mars had, at some stage in its history, signifcant surface water. This paper presents a global computational hydrological model of Mars capable of representing that water in various configurations. This provides one component for a future computational model of Mars' ancient climate and offers a route towards greater understanding of the role that water played in the formation of the planet's surface.
Observational evidence suggests that the planet Mars had, at some stage in its history,...
Short summary
In this paper, we present a global high-resolution hydrological model to investigate how water may have once flowed and accumulated on Mars. Using detailed topography, the model tracks how lakes and seas form, grow, merge, overflow, and dry out over time. It reveals how a vast northern ocean could emerge from smaller bodies of water. This approach links surface landforms to past climates, offering new perspectives on Mars' watery history and its potential habitability.
In this paper, we present a global high-resolution hydrological model to investigate how water...
