THE GEOMETRY of CHASMA BOREALE, MARS USING MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) DATA: a TEST of the CATASTROPHIC OUTFLOW HYPOTHESIS of FORMATION Kathryn E
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OCEANS on MARS. J. W. Head, Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912 USA (James Head [email protected])
Workshop on Mars 2001 2541.pdf OCEANS ON MARS. J. W. Head, Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912 USA ([email protected]). Introduction: Understanding water, and its state, mapped contacts are ancient shorelines, then they distribution and history on Mars, is one of the most should also represent the margins of an equipotential fundamental goals of the Mars exploration program. surface, and if no vertical movement has occurred Linked to this goal are the questions of the formation subsequent to their formation, the elevation of each and evolution of the atmosphere, the nature of crustal contact should plot as straight lines. Preliminary accretion and destruction, the history of the cryos- analysis of the first 18 orbits showed that neither phere and the polar regions, the origin and evolution Contact plotted as a straight line, but that Contact 2 of valley networks and outflow channels, the nature of was a closer approximation than Contact 1 [5]. We the water cycle, links to SNC meteorites, and issues have now plotted data from Hiatus phase; SPO1, and associated with water and the possible presence of life SPO2, and later orbits, and produced a topographic in the history of Mars. One of the most interesting map of the northern hemisphere. Contact 1 as pres- aspects of recent discussions about water on Mars is ently observed is not a good approximation of an the question of the possible presence of large standing equipotential surface; variation in elevation ranges bodies of water on Mars in its past history. Here we over several km, an amount exceeding plausible val- outline information on recent investigatios into this ues of post-formation vertical movement. -
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. -
North Polar Region of Mars: Advances in Stratigraphy, Structure, and Erosional Modification
Icarus 196 (2008) 318–358 www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus North polar region of Mars: Advances in stratigraphy, structure, and erosional modification Kenneth L. Tanaka a,∗, J. Alexis P. Rodriguez b, James A. Skinner Jr. a,MaryC.Bourkeb, Corey M. Fortezzo a,c, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff a, Eric J. Kolb d, Chris H. Okubo e a US Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA b Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA c Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA d Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA 94043, USA e Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA Received 5 June 2007; revised 24 January 2008 Available online 29 February 2008 Abstract We have remapped the geology of the north polar plateau on Mars, Planum Boreum, and the surrounding plains of Vastitas Borealis using altimetry and image data along with thematic maps resulting from observations made by the Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. New and revised geographic and geologic terminologies assist with effectively discussing the various features of this region. We identify 7 geologic units making up Planum Boreum and at least 3 for the circumpolar plains, which collectively span the entire Amazonian Period. The Planum Boreum units resolve at least 6 distinct depositional and 5 erosional episodes. The first major stage of activity includes the Early Amazonian (∼3 to 1 Ga) deposition (and subsequent erosion) of the thick (locally exceeding 1000 m) and evenly- layered Rupes Tenuis unit (ABrt), which ultimately formed approximately half of the base of Planum Boreum. As previously suggested, this unit may be sourced by materials derived from the nearby Scandia region, and we interpret that it may correlate with the deposits that regionally underlie pedestal craters in the surrounding lowland plains. -
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 -
Planet Mars III 28 March- 2 April 2010 POSTERS: ABSTRACT BOOK
Planet Mars III 28 March- 2 April 2010 POSTERS: ABSTRACT BOOK Recent Science Results from VMC on Mars Express Jonathan Schulster1, Hannes Griebel2, Thomas Ormston2 & Michel Denis3 1 VCS Space Engineering GmbH (Scisys), R.Bosch-Str.7, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany 2 Vega Deutschland Gmbh & Co. KG, Europaplatz 5, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany 3 Mars Express Spacecraft Operations Manager, OPS-OPM, ESA-ESOC, R.Bosch-Str 5, D-64293, Darmstadt, Germany. Mars Express carries a small Visual Monitoring Camera (VMC), originally to provide visual telemetry of the Beagle-2 probe deployment, successfully release on 19-December-2003. The VMC comprises a small CMOS optical camera, fitted with a Bayer pattern filter for colour imaging. The camera produces a 640x480 pixel array of 8-bit intensity samples which are recoded on ground to a standard digital image format. The camera has a basic command interface with almost all operations being performed at a hardware level, not featuring advanced features such as patchable software or full data bus integration as found on other instruments. In 2007 a test campaign was initiated to study the possibility of using VMC to produce full disc images of Mars for outreach purposes. An extensive test campaign to verify the camera’s capabilities in-flight was followed by tuning of optimal parameters for Mars imaging. Several thousand images of both full- and partial disc have been taken and made immediately publicly available via a web blog. Due to restrictive operational constraints the camera cannot be used when any other instrument is on. Most imaging opportunities are therefore restricted to a 1 hour period following each spacecraft maintenance window, shortly after orbit apocenter. -
Dark Dunes on Mars
CHAPTER II: PLANET MARS – THE BACKGROUND Like Earth, its neighbour planet, Mars, is a terrestrial planet with a solid surface, an atmosphere, two ice-covered pole caps, and not one but two moons (Phobos and Deimos). Some differences, such as a greater distance to the sun, a smaller diameter, a thinner atmosphere, and the longer duration of a year distinguish Mars from the Earth, not to forget the absence of life…so far. Nevertheless, there are many correlations between terrestrial and Martian geological and geomorphological processes, permitting researchers to apply knowledge from terrestrial studies more or less directly to Mars. However, a closer look reveals that the dissimilarities, though few, can make fundamental differences in process background and development. The following chapter provides a brief but necessary insight into the geological and physical background of this planet, imparting to the reader some fundamental knowledge about Mars, which is useful for understanding this work. Fig. 1 presents an impression of Mars viewed from space. Figure 1: The planet Mars: a global view (Viking 1 Orbiter mosaic [NASA]). Chapter II Planet Mars – The Background 5 Table 1 provides a summary of some major astronomical and physical parameters of Mars, giving the reader an impression of the extent to which they differ from terrestrial values. Table 1: Parameters of Mars [Kieffer et al., 1992a]. Property Dimension Orbit 227 940 000 km (1.52 AU) mean distance to the Sun Diameter 6794 km Mass 6.4185 * 1023 kg 3 Mean density ~3.933 g/cm Obliquity -
Oceanography and Canadian Atlantic Waters
! 1 Oceanography and Canadian Atlantic Waters By H. B. HACHEY Fisheries Research Board oj Canada PUBLISHED BY THE FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES OTTAWA, 1961 rice $1.50 cOl AN. OCEAN. AT SUN.RISE I� "And I stood serene and peaceful In the quiet morning hush Gazing eastward o'er the ocean As the Master plied his brush." ( A pologies to Boutilier) BULLETIN No. 134 Oceanograph:r and Canadian .L4.tlantic Waters By H. B. HACHEY Fisheries Research Board oj Canada PUBLISHED BY THE FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES OTTAWA, 1961 W. E. RICKER N. M. CARTER Editors ROGER DUHAMEL, F.R.S.C. QUEEN'S PRINTER AND CONTROLLER OF STATIONERY OTTA WA, 1962 94-134 Price $1.50 Cat. No. Fs 11 BULLETINS OF THE FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA are published from time to time to present popular and scientific information concerning fishes and some other aquatic animals; their environment and the biology of their stocks ; means of capture; and the handling , processing and utilizing of fish and fishery products. In addition, the Board publishes the following : An ANNUAL REPORT of the work carried on under the direction of the Board. The JOURNAL OF THE FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA, containing the results of scientific investigations. ATLANTIC PROGRESS REPORTS, consisting of brief articles on investigations at the Atlantic stations of the Board. PACIFIC PROGRESS REPORTS, consisting of brief articles on investigations at the Pacific stations of the Board. -
Growth and Form of the Mound in Gale Crater, Mars: Slope
1 Growth and form of the mound in Gale Crater, Mars: Slope- 2 wind enhanced erosion and transport 3 Edwin S. Kite1, Kevin W. Lewis,2 Michael P. Lamb1 4 1Geological & Planetary Science, California Institute of Technology, MC 150-21, Pasadena CA 5 91125, USA. 2Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Guyot Hall, Princeton NJ 6 08544, USA. 7 8 Abstract: Ancient sediments provide archives of climate and habitability on Mars (1,2). Gale 9 Crater, the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), hosts a 5 km high sedimentary 10 mound (3-5). Hypotheses for mound formation include evaporitic, lacustrine, fluviodeltaic, and 11 aeolian processes (1-8), but the origin and original extent of Gale’s mound is unknown. Here we 12 show new measurements of sedimentary strata within the mound that indicate ~3° outward dips 13 oriented radially away from the mound center, inconsistent with the first three hypotheses. 14 Moreover, although mounds are widely considered to be erosional remnants of a once crater- 15 filling unit (2,8-9), we find that the Gale mound’s current form is close to its maximal extent. 16 Instead we propose that the mound’s structure, stratigraphy, and current shape can be explained 17 by growth in place near the center of the crater mediated by wind-topography feedbacks. Our 18 model shows how sediment can initially accrete near the crater center far from crater-wall 19 katabatic winds, until the increasing relief of the resulting mound generates mound-flank slope- 20 winds strong enough to erode the mound. Our results indicate mound formation by airfall- 21 dominated deposition with a limited role for lacustrine and fluvial activity, and potentially 22 limited organic carbon preservation. -
The Surface of Mars Michael H. Carr Index More Information
Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-87201-0 - The Surface of Mars Michael H. Carr Index More information Index Accretion 277 Areocentric longitude Sun 2, 3 Acheron Fossae 167 Ares Vallis 114, 116, 117, 231 Acid fogs 237 Argyre 5, 27, 159, 160, 181 Acidalia Planitia 116 floor elevation 158 part of low around Tharsis 85 floor Hesperian in age 158 Admittance 84 lake 156–8 African Rift Valleys 95 Arsia Mons 46–9, 188 Ages absolute 15, 23 summit caldera 46 Ages, relative, by remote sensing 14, 23 Dikes 47 Alases 176 magma supply rate 51 Alba Patera 2, 17, 48, 54–7, 92, 132, 136 Arsinoes Chaos 115, 117 low slopes 54 Ascreus Mons 46, 49, 51 flank fractures 54 summit caldera 49 fracture ring 54 flank vents 49 dikes 55 rounded terraces 50 pit craters 55, 56, 88 Asteroids 24 sheet flows 55, 56 Astronomical unit 1, 2 Tube-fed flows 55, 56 Athabasca Vallis 59, 65, 122, 125, 126 lava ridges 55 Atlantis Chaos 151 dilatational faults 55 Atmosphere collapse 262 channels 56, 57 Atmosphere, chemical composition 17 pyroclastic deposits 56 circulation 8 graben 56, 84, 86 convective boundary layer 9 profile 54 CO2 retention 260 Albedo 1, 9, 193 early Mars 263, 271 Albor Tholus 60 eddies 8 ALH84001 20, 21, 78, 267, 273–4, 277 isotopic composition 17 Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer 232 mass 16 Alpha Proton-ray Spectrometer 231 meridional flow 1 Alpheus Colles 160 pressure variations and range 5, 16 AlQahira 122 temperatures 6–8 Amazonian 277 scale height 5, 16 Amazonis Planitia 45, 64, 161, 195 water content 11 flows 66, 68 column water abundance 174 low -
Geology of the Syrtis Major/Isidis Region of Mars: New Results from Mola, Moc, and Themis
Sixth International Conference on Mars (2003) 3061.pdf GEOLOGY OF THE SYRTIS MAJOR/ISIDIS REGION OF MARS: NEW RESULTS FROM MOLA, MOC, AND THEMIS H. Hiesinger, J. W. Head III Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, [email protected] Introduction: The motivation of our study is to character- are easily detected and work of Head et al. [2002] and ize the Isidis basin in terms of topography and morphology, Ivanov and Head [2003] showed that Hesperian ridged to investigate the origin of its geologic units, to study the plains underlie the sediments of the Vastitas Borealis for- geologic history and evolution of the basin, and to provide mation in the northern lowlands and in the Isidis basin. additional geologic context for the Beagle lander. The Isi- Alternatively, Tanaka et al. [2001c] proposed that the depo- dis basin is important in that it is one of the major impact sition of up to 2-3 km thick sediments of the Vastitas Bore- basins on Mars. Although not part of the northern lowlands, alis Formation in the northern lowlands resulted in exten- it contains deposits of the Vastitas Borealis Formation. sive deformation of the lithosphere and the tilt of the Isidis Syrtis Major is a large volcanic complex immediately west floor. The origin of these deposits could be sedimentation of the Isidis basin and it has been observed that lavas from from a northpolar ocean as proposed by Parker et al. [1989, Syrtis Major and deposits in the Isidis basin (i.e. the Vasti- 1993] or from large-scale CO2-charged debris-flows as tas Borealis Formation) have complex stratigraphic rela- proposed by Tanaka et al. -
General Index Vols. XLI-L, Third Series
GENERAL INDEX OF VOLUMES XLI-L OF THE THIRD SERIES. WInthe references to volumes xli to I, only the numerals i to ir we given. NOTE.-The names of mineral8 nre inaerted under the head ol' ~~IBERALB:all ohitllary notices are referred to under OBITUARY. Under the heads BO'PANY,CHK~I~TRY, OEOLO~Y, Roo~s,the refereuces to the topics in these department8 are grouped together; in many cases, the same references appear also elsewhere. Alabama, geological survey, see GEOL. REPORTSand SURVEYS. Abbe, C., atmospheric radiation of Industrial and Scientific Society, heat, iii, 364 ; RIechnnics of the i. 267. Earth's Atmosphere, v, 442. Alnska, expedition to, Russell, ii, 171. Aberration, Rayleigh, iii, 432. Albirnpean studies, Uhler, iv, 333. Absorption by alum, Hutchins, iii, Alps, section of, Rothpletz, vii, 482. 526--. Alternating currents. Bedell and Cre- Absorption fipectra, Julius, v, 254. hore, v, 435 ; reronance analysis, ilcadeiny of Sciences, French, ix, 328. Pupin, viii, 379, 473. academy, National, meeting at Al- Altitudes in the United States, dic- bany, vi, 483: Baltimore, iv, ,504 : tionary of, Gannett, iv. 262. New Haven, viii, 513 ; New York, Alum crystals, anomalies in the ii. 523: Washington, i, 521, iii, growth, JIiers, viii, 350. 441, v, 527, vii, 484, ix, 428. Aluminum, Tvave length of ultra-violet on electrical measurements, ix, lines of, Runge, 1, 71. 236, 316. American Association of Chemists, i, Texas, Transactions, v, 78. 927 . Acoustics, rrsearchesin, RIayer, vii, 1. Geological Society, see GEOL. Acton, E. H., Practical physiology of SOCIETYof AMERICA. plants, ix, 77. Nuseu~nof Sat. Hist., bulletin, Adams, F. -
Bedform Migration on Mars: Current Results and Future Plans
Aeolian Research xxx (2013) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Aeolian Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/aeolia Review Article Bedform migration on Mars: Current results and future plans ⇑ Nathan Bridges a, , Paul Geissler b, Simone Silvestro c, Maria Banks d a Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, 200-W230, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA b US Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, 2255 N. Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-1698, USA c SETI Institute, 189 Bernardo Ave., Suite 100, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA d Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA article info abstract Article history: With the advent of high resolution imaging, bedform motion can now be tracked on the Martian surface. Received 30 July 2012 HiRISE data, with a pixel scale as fine as 25 cm, shows displacements of sand patches, dunes, and ripples Revised 19 February 2013 up to several meters per Earth year, demonstrating that significant landscape modification occurs in the Accepted 19 February 2013 current environment. This seems to consistently occur in the north polar erg, with variable activity at Available online xxxx other latitudes. Volumetric dune and ripple changes indicate sand fluxes up to several cubic meters per meter per year, similar to that found in some dune fields on Earth. All ‘‘transverse aeolian ridges’’ Keywords: are immobile. There is no relationship between bedform activity and coarse-scale global circulation mod- Mars els, indicating that finer scale topography and wind gusts, combined with the predicted low impact Dunes Ripples threshold on Mars, are the primary drivers.