DOCSLIB.ORG

Modern Mars' Geomorphological Activity

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Modern Mars' Geomorphological Activity Title: Modern Mars’ geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity Serina Diniega, Ali Bramson, Bonnie Buratti, Peter Buhler, Devon Burr, Matthew Chojnacki, Susan Conway, Colin Dundas, Candice Hansen, Alfred Mcewen, et al. To cite this version: Serina Diniega, Ali Bramson, Bonnie Buratti, Peter Buhler, Devon Burr, et al.. Title: Modern Mars’ geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity. Geomorphology, Elsevier, 2021, 380, pp.107627. 10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107627. hal-03186543 HAL Id: hal-03186543 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03186543 Submitted on 31 Mar 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1 Title: Modern Mars’ geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity 2 3 Authors: Serina Diniega1,*, Ali M. Bramson2, Bonnie Buratti1, Peter Buhler3, Devon M. Burr4, 4 Matthew Chojnacki3, Susan J. Conway5, Colin M. Dundas6, Candice J. Hansen3, Alfred S. 5 McEwen7, Mathieu G. A. Lapôtre8, Joseph Levy9, Lauren Mc Keown10, Sylvain Piqueux1, 6 Ganna Portyankina11, Christy Swann12, Timothy N. Titus6, Jacob M. Widmer 7 8 1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, 9 CA 91009, USA 10 2 Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, 550 Stadium 11 Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA 12 3Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA 13 4Northern Arizona University, 537 S Beaver St, Flagstaff AZ 86011-6010, USA 14 5 CNRS UMR 6112 Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, Université de Nantes, 44330 15 Nantes, France 16 6U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, 2255 N. Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 17 86001, USA 18 7Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 19 85721, USA 20 8Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 21 94305, USA 22 9Colgate University, 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, NY 13346, USA 23 10National History Museum, Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD, United 24 Kingdom 25 11Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado – Boulder, 1234 26 Innovation Dr., Boulder, CO 80303, USA 27 12U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20375, USA 28 *Correspondence author: [email protected], +1 818-393-1487. 29 30 © 2020. All rights reserved. 31 32 33 ABSTRACT 34 Extensive evidence of landform-scale martian geomorphic changes has been acquired in the 35 last decade, and the number and range of examples of surface activity have increased as more 36 high-resolution imagery has been acquired. Within the present-day Mars climate, wind and 37 frost/ice are the dominant drivers, resulting in large avalanches of material down icy, rocky, or 38 sandy slopes; sediment transport leading to many scales of aeolian bedforms and erosion; pits of 39 various forms and patterned ground; and substrate material carved out from under subliming ice 40 slabs. Due to the ability to collect correlated observations of surface activity and new landforms 41 with relevant environmental conditions with spacecraft on or around Mars, studies of martian 42 geomorphologic activity are uniquely positioned to directly test surface-atmosphere interaction 43 and landform formation/evolution models outside of Earth. In this paper, we outline currently 44 observed and interpreted surface activity occurring within the modern Mars environment, and tie 45 this activity to wind, seasonal surface CO2 frost/ice, sublimation of subsurface water ice, and/or 46 gravity drivers. Open questions regarding these processes are outlined, and then measurements 47 needed for answering these questions are identified. In the final sections, we discuss how many 48 of these martian processes and landforms may provide useful analogs for conditions and 49 processes active on other planetary surfaces, with an emphasis on those that stretch the bounds of 50 terrestrial-based models or that lack terrestrial analogs. In these ways, modern Mars presents a 51 natural and powerful comparative planetology base case for studies of Solar System surface 52 processes, beyond or instead of Earth. 53 54 KEY WORDS 55 Geomorphological activity; Mars; Comparative Planetology; Aeolian; Sublimation; Mass 56 wasting 57 58 HIGHLIGHTS 59 Mars’ surface is actively shaped in the present due to wind, frost/ice, and gravity. 60 Overlapping, high-resolution images from orbit are key for detection of activity. 61 In situ and orbital data are needed to fully characterize the active Mars processes. 62 Mars studies provide critical information about activity beyond that seen on Earth. 63 64 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5 65 1.1 Why focus on wind and sublimation as drivers for surface activity? .............................. 9 66 1.1.1 Other known present-day surface changes .................... Erreur ! Signet non défini. 67 1.1.2 Other potential/hypothesized causes of recent surface changes Erreur ! Signet non 68 défini. 69 1.2 Sources of seminal data .................................................................................................. 11 70 2 Wind-formed landforms........................................................................................................ 15 71 2.1 Depositional and Erosional Aeolian Landscapes: Materials and Landforms ................ 17 72 2.1.1 Wind-transported sediment grain properties ........................................................... 17 73 2.1.2 Wind-transported sediment composition ................................................................ 18 74 2.1.3 Bedforms: Types and Morphologies ....................................................................... 20 75 2.2 Aeolian Transport, Fluxes, and Erosion Rates ............................................................... 24 76 2.2.1 Thresholds of motion and transport hysteresis ....................................................... 25 77 2.2.2 Bedform migration and evolution ........................................................................... 29 78 2.2.3 Erosion Rates .......................................................................................................... 32 79 2.3 Open questions for martian aeolian landforms and sediment history ............................ 33 80 2.4 Open questions for the physics of aeolian processes ..................................................... 34 81 3 Seasonal Frost/Ice-formed Landforms .................................................................................. 35 82 3.1 Currently-formed surface frost/ice types on Mars ......................................................... 36 83 3.2 Seasonal sublimation triggered mass-wasting landforms .............................................. 38 84 3.2.1 Gullies ..................................................................................................................... 38 85 3.2.2 Dune alcoves ........................................................................................................... 41 86 3.3 Basal sublimation formed landforms ............................................................................. 42 87 3.3.1 Linear gullies .......................................................................................................... 42 88 3.3.2 Araneiforms ............................................................................................................ 43 89 3.4 Open questions for seasonal frost/ice and related landforms ......................................... 45 90 4 Long-term sublimation of ices .............................................................................................. 46 91 4.1 Polar surface landforms .................................................................................................. 47 92 4.1.1 South Polar Residual Cap ....................................................................................... 47 93 4.1.2 Massive CO2 Ice Deposit and its capping H2O ice layer ........................................ 50 94 4.1.3 North Polar Residual Cap H2O ice surface ............................................................. 50 95 4.2 Present/recent subsurface water ice................................................................................ 52 96 4.2.1 Present-day water ice stability ................................................................................ 52 97 4.2.2 Present-day water ice distribution ........................................................................... 53 98 4.3 Sublimation thermokarst ................................................................................................ 55 99 4.4 Patterned Ground............................................................................................................ 56 100 4.5 Open questions for long-term sublimation of ice ........................................................... 59 101 5
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Copyrighted Material
    Index Abulfeda crater chain (Moon), 97 Aphrodite Terra (Venus), 142, 143, 144, 145, 146 Acheron Fossae (Mars), 165 Apohele asteroids, 353–354 Achilles asteroids, 351 Apollinaris Patera (Mars), 168 achondrite meteorites, 360 Apollo asteroids, 346, 353, 354, 361, 371 Acidalia Planitia (Mars), 164 Apollo program, 86, 96, 97, 101, 102, 108–109, 110, 361 Adams, John Couch, 298 Apollo 8, 96 Adonis, 371 Apollo 11, 94, 110 Adrastea, 238, 241 Apollo 12, 96, 110 Aegaeon, 263 Apollo 14, 93, 110 Africa, 63, 73, 143 Apollo 15, 100, 103, 104, 110 Akatsuki spacecraft (see Venus Climate Orbiter) Apollo 16, 59, 96, 102, 103, 110 Akna Montes (Venus), 142 Apollo 17, 95, 99, 100, 102, 103, 110 Alabama, 62 Apollodorus crater (Mercury), 127 Alba Patera (Mars), 167 Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), 110 Aldrin, Edwin (Buzz), 94 Apophis, 354, 355 Alexandria, 69 Appalachian mountains (Earth), 74, 270 Alfvén, Hannes, 35 Aqua, 56 Alfvén waves, 35–36, 43, 49 Arabia Terra (Mars), 177, 191, 200 Algeria, 358 arachnoids (see Venus) ALH 84001, 201, 204–205 Archimedes crater (Moon), 93, 106 Allan Hills, 109, 201 Arctic, 62, 67, 84, 186, 229 Allende meteorite, 359, 360 Arden Corona (Miranda), 291 Allen Telescope Array, 409 Arecibo Observatory, 114, 144, 341, 379, 380, 408, 409 Alpha Regio (Venus), 144, 148, 149 Ares Vallis (Mars), 179, 180, 199 Alphonsus crater (Moon), 99, 102 Argentina, 408 Alps (Moon), 93 Argyre Basin (Mars), 161, 162, 163, 166, 186 Amalthea, 236–237, 238, 239, 241 Ariadaeus Rille (Moon), 100, 102 Amazonis Planitia (Mars), 161 COPYRIGHTED
    [Show full text]
  • MID-LATITUDE MARTIAN ICE AS a TARGET for HUMAN EXPLORATION, ASTROBIOLOGY, and IN-SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION. D. Viola1 ([email protected]), A
    First Landing Site/Exploration Zone Workshop for Human Missions to the Surface of Mars (2015) 1011.pdf MID-LATITUDE MARTIAN ICE AS A TARGET FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION, ASTROBIOLOGY, AND IN-SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION. D. Viola1 ([email protected]), A. S. McEwen1, and C. M. Dundas2. 1University of Arizona, Department of Planetary Sciences, 2USGS, Astrogeology Science Center. Introduction: Future human missions to Mars will region of late Noachian highlands terrain, and is com- need to rely on resources available near the Martian prised of a series of grabens and ridges surrounded by surface. Water is of primary importance, and is known later Hesperian/Amazonian lava flows from the Thar- to be abundant on Mars in multiple forms, including sis region [7]. The proposed landing site is within these hydrated minerals [1] and pore-filling and excess ice lava flows (HAv), and provides access to a region of deposits [2]. Of these sources, excess ice (or ice which late Hesperian lowlands in the western region of the exceeds the available regolith pore space) may be the EZ. There is evidence for Amazonian glacial and peri- most promising for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). glacial activity [e.g., HiRISE images Since Martian excess ice is thought to contain a low PSP_008671_2210 and ESP_017374_2210], and the fraction of dust and other contaminants (~<10% by Gamma Ray Spectrometer water map suggests that volume, [3]) only a modest deposit of excess ice will there is abundant subsurface ice in the uppermost me- be sufficient to support a human presence. ter within this region [10]. Meandering channel-like Subsurface water ice may also be of astrobiological features have been identified in HiRISE images (e.g., interest as a potential current habitat or as a preserva- PSP_003529_2195 in close proximity to apparent ice tion medium for biosignatures.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE for RESEARCH in ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
    2015 Annual Report COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 2015 annual report University of Colorado Boulder UCB 216 Boulder, CO 80309-0216 COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES University of Colorado Boulder 216 UCB Boulder, CO 80309-0216 303-492-1143 [email protected] http://cires.colorado.edu CIRES Director Waleed Abdalati Annual Report Staff Katy Human, Director of Communications, Editor Susan Lynds and Karin Vergoth, Editing Robin L. Strelow, Designer Agreement No. NA12OAR4320137 Cover photo: Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps, West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island Birgit Hassler, CIRES/NOAA table of contents Executive summary & research highlights 2 project reports 82 From the Director 2 Air Quality in a Changing Climate 83 CIRES: Science in Service to Society 3 Climate Forcing, Feedbacks, and Analysis 86 This is CIRES 6 Earth System Dynamics, Variability, and Change 94 Organization 7 Management and Exploitation of Geophysical Data 105 Council of Fellows 8 Regional Sciences and Applications 115 Governance 9 Scientific Outreach and Education 117 Finance 10 Space Weather Understanding and Prediction 120 Active NOAA Awards 11 Stratospheric Processes and Trends 124 Systems and Prediction Models Development 129 People & Programs 14 CIRES Starts with People 14 Appendices 136 Fellows 15 Table of Contents 136 CIRES Centers 50 Publications by the Numbers 136 Center for Limnology 50 Publications 137 Center for Science and Technology
    [Show full text]
  • Variability of Mars' North Polar Water Ice Cap I. Analysis of Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter Imaging Data
    Icarus 144, 382–396 (2000) doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6300, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on Variability of Mars’ North Polar Water Ice Cap I. Analysis of Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter Imaging Data Deborah S. Bass Instrumentation and Space Research Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510 E-mail: [email protected] Kenneth E. Herkenhoff U.S. Geological Survey, 2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001 and David A. Paige Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90095-1567 Received May 15, 1998; revised November 17, 1999 1. INTRODUCTION Previous studies interpreted differences in ice coverage between Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter observations of Mars’ north residual Like Earth, Mars has perennial ice caps and an active wa- polar cap as evidence of interannual variability of ice deposition on ter cycle. The Viking Orbiter determined that the surface of the the cap. However,these investigators did not consider the possibility northern residual cap is water ice (Kieffer et al. 1976, Farmer that there could be significant changes in the ice coverage within et al. 1976). At the south residual polar cap, both Mariner 9 the northern residual cap over the course of the summer season. and Viking Orbiter observed carbon dioxide ice throughout the Our more comprehensive analysis of Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter summer. Many have related observed atmospheric water vapor imaging data shows that the appearance of the residual cap does not abundances to seasonal exchange between reservoirs such as show large-scale variance on an interannual basis.
    [Show full text]
  • Imagining Outer Space Also by Alexander C
    Imagining Outer Space Also by Alexander C. T. Geppert FLEETING CITIES Imperial Expositions in Fin-de-Siècle Europe Co-Edited EUROPEAN EGO-HISTORIES Historiography and the Self, 1970–2000 ORTE DES OKKULTEN ESPOSIZIONI IN EUROPA TRA OTTO E NOVECENTO Spazi, organizzazione, rappresentazioni ORTSGESPRÄCHE Raum und Kommunikation im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert NEW DANGEROUS LIAISONS Discourses on Europe and Love in the Twentieth Century WUNDER Poetik und Politik des Staunens im 20. Jahrhundert Imagining Outer Space European Astroculture in the Twentieth Century Edited by Alexander C. T. Geppert Emmy Noether Research Group Director Freie Universität Berlin Editorial matter, selection and introduction © Alexander C. T. Geppert 2012 Chapter 6 (by Michael J. Neufeld) © the Smithsonian Institution 2012 All remaining chapters © their respective authors 2012 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The authors have asserted their rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2012 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
    [Show full text]
  • Quantitative High-Resolution Reexamination of a Hypothesized
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Quantitative High‐Resolution Reexamination of a 10.1029/2018JE005837 Hypothesized Ocean Shoreline in Cydonia Key Points: • We apply a proposed Mensae on Mars ‐ fi paleoshoreline identi cation toolkit Steven F. Sholes1,2 , David R. Montgomery1, and David C. Catling1,2 to newer high‐resolution data of an exemplar site for paleoshorelines on 1Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, 2Astrobiology Program, Mars • Any wave‐generated University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA paleoshorelines should exhibit expressions identifiable in the residual topography from an Abstract Primary support for ancient Martian oceans has relied on qualitative interpretations of idealized slope hypothesized shorelines on relatively low‐resolution images and data. We present a toolkit for • Our analysis of these curvilinear features does not support a quantitatively identifying paleoshorelines using topographic, morphological, and spectroscopic paleoshoreline interpretation and is evaluations. In particular, we apply the validated topographic expression analysis of Hare et al. (2001, more consistent with eroded https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JB000344) for the first time beyond Earth, focusing on a test case of putative lithologies shoreline features along the Arabia level in northeast Cydonia Mensae, as first described by Clifford and Supporting Information: Parker (2001, https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.2001.6671). Our results show these curvilinear features are • Supporting Information S1 inconsistent with a wave‐generated shoreline interpretation. The topographic expression analysis identifies a few potential shoreline terraces along the historically proposed contacts, but these tilt in different directions, do not follow an equipotential surface (even accounting for regional tilting), and are Correspondence to: not laterally continuous.
    [Show full text]
  • Mapping the Senses/ Charting Experience
    Christian Nold Suzan Shutan Eve Ingalls Chip Lord Susan Sharp Pat Steir Sharon Horvath Denis Wood John Cage Sarah Amos Josephine Napurrula Heidi Whitman Leila Daw Adriana Lara Ree Morton Merce Cunningham Christo & Jean Claude GR UND TRUTH: Mapping the Senses/ Charting Experience Curated by Robbin Zella and Susan Sharp January 13 - February 10, 2012 The Map Land lies in water; it is a shadowed green, Shadows, or are they shallows, at its edges showing the line of long sea-weeded ledges where weeds hang to the simple blue from green. Ground Truth: Mapping the Senses/ Or does the land lean down to lift the sea from under, Charting Experience Drawing it unperturbed around itself? Along the fine tan sandy shelf Looking out into the wider-world requires us to first develop black and white and arrange them so that the larger pattern, the 2 Is the land tugging at the sea from under? a method of finding our way -- signs and symbols that lead pattern of the neighborhood itself, can emerge.” us to new destinations; and second, to rely on memory—an But neighborhoods, and the activities that happen there, can also The shadow of Newfoundland lies flat and still. internalized map. The first way situates us within a space as it relates to the cardinal points on a compass—north, south, change over time. Suzan Shutan’s installation, Sex in the Suburbs, Labrador’s yellow, where the moony Eskimo east, and west; and the second, is in relation to our own home- maps the growing sex-for-hire industry that is slowly taking root.
    [Show full text]
  • Case Fil Copy
    NASA TECHNICAL NASA TM X-3511 MEMORANDUM CO >< CASE FIL COPY REPORTS OF PLANETARY GEOLOGY PROGRAM, 1976-1977 Compiled by Raymond Arvidson and Russell Wahmann Office of Space Science NASA Headquarters NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION • WASHINGTON, D. C. • MAY 1977 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. TMX3511 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date May 1977 6. Performing Organization Code REPORTS OF PLANETARY GEOLOGY PROGRAM, 1976-1977 SL 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Compiled by Raymond Arvidson and Russell Wahmann 10. Work Unit No. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Office of Space Science 11. Contract or Grant No. Lunar and Planetary Programs Planetary Geology Program 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Technical Memorandum National Aeronautics and Space Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D.C. 20546 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract A compilation of abstracts of reports which summarizes work conducted by Principal Investigators. Full reports of these abstracts were presented to the annual meeting of Planetary Geology Principal Investigators and their associates at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, May 23-26, 1977. 17. Key Words (Suggested by Author(s)) 18. Distribution Statement Planetary geology Solar system evolution Unclassified—Unlimited Planetary geological mapping Instrument development 19. Security Qassif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price* Unclassified Unclassified 294 $9.25 * For sale by the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 FOREWORD This is a compilation of abstracts of reports from Principal Investigators of NASA's Office of Space Science, Division of Lunar and Planetary Programs Planetary Geology Program.
    [Show full text]
  • Polar Ice in the Solar System
    Recommended Reading List for Polar Ice in the Inner Solar System Compiled by: Shane Byrne Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona. April 23rd, 2007 Polar Ice on Airless Bodies................................................................................................. 2 Initial theories and modeling results for these ice deposits: ........................................... 2 Observational evidence (or lack of) for polar ice on airless bodies:............................... 3 Martian Polar Ice................................................................................................................. 4 Good (although dated) introductory material ................................................................. 4 Polar Layered Deposits:...................................................................................................... 5 Ice-flow (or lack thereof) and internal structure in the polar layered deposits............... 5 North polar basal-unit ..................................................................................................... 6 Geologic Mapping and impact cratering......................................................................... 6 Connection of polar layered deposits (PLD) to climate.................................................. 7 Formation of troughs, scarps and chasmata.................................................................... 7 Surface Properties of the PLD ........................................................................................ 8 Eolian Processes
    [Show full text]
  • March 21–25, 2016
    FORTY-SEVENTH LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE CONFERENCE PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL SESSIONS MARCH 21–25, 2016 The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT Universities Space Research Association Lunar and Planetary Institute National Aeronautics and Space Administration CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS Stephen Mackwell, Lunar and Planetary Institute Eileen Stansbery, NASA Johnson Space Center PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIRS David Draper, NASA Johnson Space Center Walter Kiefer, Lunar and Planetary Institute PROGRAM COMMITTEE P. Doug Archer, NASA Johnson Space Center Nicolas LeCorvec, Lunar and Planetary Institute Katherine Bermingham, University of Maryland Yo Matsubara, Smithsonian Institute Janice Bishop, SETI and NASA Ames Research Center Francis McCubbin, NASA Johnson Space Center Jeremy Boyce, University of California, Los Angeles Andrew Needham, Carnegie Institution of Washington Lisa Danielson, NASA Johnson Space Center Lan-Anh Nguyen, NASA Johnson Space Center Deepak Dhingra, University of Idaho Paul Niles, NASA Johnson Space Center Stephen Elardo, Carnegie Institution of Washington Dorothy Oehler, NASA Johnson Space Center Marc Fries, NASA Johnson Space Center D. Alex Patthoff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Cyrena Goodrich, Lunar and Planetary Institute Elizabeth Rampe, Aerodyne Industries, Jacobs JETS at John Gruener, NASA Johnson Space Center NASA Johnson Space Center Justin Hagerty, U.S. Geological Survey Carol Raymond, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Lindsay Hays, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Paul Schenk,
    [Show full text]
  • Salt Triggered Melting of Permafrost in the Chaos Regions of Mars
    Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVII (2006) 2218.pdf SALT TRIGGERED MELTING OF PERMAFROST IN THE CHAOS REGIONS OF MARS. Popa I.C., Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Pescara, Viale Pindaro 42, Italy. ([email protected]) Introduction: Mars surface bears traces of many landing site (Chryse Planitia) is the place where Ares fluvial-like features, geomorphic identified as outflow outflow channel is depositing its transporting channels, valley networks etc. Among these a particular materials. The following Martian landers Pathfinder one stands above others from the dimensional point of [6] and MER A Spirit [7], and MER B Opportunity [8] view. Outflow channels bear unique water erosion also revealed high soluble salts contents in places characteristics, that led Baker and Milton (1974) [1] to possibly genetically connected. Recently OMEGA believe that are caused by a surface runoff of large aboard Mars Express spacecraft has proven the amounts of water, in short geological time. Water existence of gypsum and other highly soluble salts (e.g origin, necessary for these processes was the topic of kieserite and epsomite) in localized deposits in places around Valles Marineris, and Iani Chaos [9]. many works. Among these theories one generally Freezing point depression of water solutions: accepted idea considers that water is originating from The freezing point of pure water at 1 bar is 0°C melting of permafrost layers positioned in the places of (273K). This melting point can be easily depressed by today chaos’. Here is an investigation that takes into adding impurities or soluble salts to the solvent. In the account the exoergic salt-ice dissolution reaction, along case of halite (NaCl) salt it is known that a 10% NaCl with freezing point depression of formed salty solutions, solution lowers the melting point of about -6°C (267K) as a complentary or a stand-alone process in chaos- and a 20% salt solution lowers it to -16°C (257K).
    [Show full text]
  • Grid Mapping of Ice-Related Landforms in Acidalia Planitia, Mars
    Grid mapping of ice-related landforms in Acidalia Planitia, Mars Ernst Hauber1 Csilla Orgel2 Dennis Reiss3 Stephan van Gasselt4 Andreas Johnsson5 1German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, [email protected] 2Institut für Geowissenschaften, FU Berlin, [email protected] 3Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster, [email protected] 4National Chengchi University, Taipei, [email protected] 5Dept.of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, [email protected] Abstract Many young landforms in mid- and high-latitudes on Mars are probably related to ice, but their exact distribution and origin are still poorly understood. In an attempt to determine their extent and identify possible spatial relationships and genetic links between them, we mapped their distribution across a N-S traverse across Acidalia Planitia, following a grid-mapping approach. The general characteristics of Acidalia are similar to that of Utopia Planitia and Arcadia Planitia, which are known to host large water ice reservoirs. Keywords: Mars; permafrost; landforms; ice; climate; grid mapping. Introduction patterned ground in Utopia Planitia; Séjourné et al., 2011). Large quantities of excess water ice reside in the upper parts of the Martian crust in the northern hemisphere We aim at a better understanding of the distribution of (e.g., Plaut et al., 2009; Stuurman et al., 2016; Bramson et possibly ice-related landforms in Acidalia Planitia, the al., 2015). Although it is believed that this ice was third major lowland basin. Our goal is to identify deposited during phases of different obliquities (e.g., latitude-dependencies of such landforms and their Madeleine et al., 2009), it does survive over geological relation to each other as well as to external parameters time under current conditions (Bramson et al., 2017) and such as topography, and thermal inertia.
    [Show full text]