DRY (?) MARS: AEOLIAN PROCESSES, MASS WASTING, and ROCKS 7:00 P.M

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

DRY (?) MARS: AEOLIAN PROCESSES, MASS WASTING, and ROCKS 7:00 P.M Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005) sess44.pdf Tuesday, March 15, 2005 POSTER SESSION I: DRY (?) MARS: AEOLIAN PROCESSES, MASS WASTING, AND ROCKS 7:00 p.m. Fitness Center Mullins K. F. Hayward R. K. Titus T. N. Bourke M. C. Fenton L. K. Mars Digital Dune Database: A Quantitative Look at the Geographic Distribution of Dunes on Mars [#1986] Initial steps in developing a digital dune database in a global geographic context for Mars have been completed. This database currently contains information delineating the dune fields between ±65 degrees latitude. Banks M. Bridges N. T. Benzit M. Measurements of the Coefficient of Restitution of Quartz Sand on Basalt: Implications for Abrasion Rates on Earth and Mars [#2116] Using high speed video to assess grain-rock interactions, it was found that the KE lost on impact is generally proportional to incoming velocity and impact angle, but that only a fraction of this energy goes into direct abrasion of the rock surface. Neakrase L. D. V. Greeley R. Williams D. A. Reiss D. Michaels T. I. Rafkin S. C. R. Neukum G. HRSC Team Hecates Tholus, Mars: Nighttime Aeolian Activity Suggested by Thermal Images and Mesoscale Atmospheric Model Simulations [#1898] Previously unidentified wind streaks identified on nighttime IR images on Hecates Tholus volcano on Mars agree with predictions of nighttime patterns by an atmospheric model, suggesting that nighttime winds are responsible for modifying the surface in contrast to afternoon winds. Neakrase L. D. V. Greeley R. Iversen J. D. Balme M. R. Foley D. J. Eddlemon E. E. Dust Devils on Mars: Effects of Surface Roughness on Particle Threshold [#1857] The aim of this study is to determine experimentally the effects of non-erodable roughness elements on vortex particle threshold through laboratory simulations of natural surfaces pertaining to dust devils on Earth and Mars. Schneider R. D. Hamilton V. E. Variations Among Dark-toned Intracrater Deposits in Amazonis Planitia [#1543] We have performed an analysis with THEMIS data that indicates there are visible and spectral variations among 21 dark-toned intracrater deposits in Amazonis Planitia. We explore the reasons for spectral differences among the three types of deposits. Foley D. J. Whelley P. L. Greeley R. Neakrase L. D. V. Dust Devil Tracks on Mars: Observation and Analysis from Orbit and the Surface [#1162] The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit traversed a dust devil track. Analysis of dust and fine particles present inside, on the contact, and outside of the track support the hypothesis that dust devils can remove dust and fine particles from the surface. Gibbons A. Yang F. Mlsna P. Geissler P. E. Automated Procedures for Detecting Martian Dust Devils [#2005] We have begun to explore the application of numerical pattern recognition techniques to the problem of identifying Martian dust devils in orbital imagery. Scott A. G. Williams W. J. W. Mazumder M. K. Biris A. Srirama P. K. Bridging a High School Science Fair Experience with First Year Undergraduate Research: Using the E-SPART Analyzer to Determine Electrostatic Charge Properties of Compositionally Varied Rock Dust Particles as Terrestrial Analogues to Mars Materials [#2284] More is known about Mars from data collected in 2004. We present particle size and electrostatic data for particles derived from various terrestrial materials to provide analogue studies for what also appears to be present: sedimentary compositions. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005) sess44.pdf Chojnacki M. Jakosky B. M. Hynek B. M. Surficial Properties of Landslide Units in Ophir Chasma, Mars, from Remote-sensing Data [#2323] We mapped the surface layers of the Ophir Chasma region of Valles Marineris using observations made by the MGS’s TES and the MO’s THEMIS. We found the landslide units of Ophir’s north wall to have a diverse range of characteristics. Barnouin-Jha O. S. Wada K. Matsui T. Sugita S. The Flow Dynamics of Long Run-Out Landslides on Mars from 3-D Granular Flow Models [#1588] We use 3-D granular flow models to constrain morhological and topographic attributes of long run-out landslides on Mars. Pierre N. M. Yingst R. A. Johnson J. R. Classification of Mars Pathfinder Rocks Using Multispectral Data [#1948] This study represents the first attempt at a systematic spectral classification of a significant percentage of rocks at the Mars Pathfinder landing site, and is part of a larger effort to correlate quantitative rock morphology with spectral data. Yingst R. A. Biedermann K. L. Pierre N. M. Haldemann A. F. C. Johnson J. R. Correlation of Rock Spectra with Quantitative Morphologic Indices: Evidence for a Single Rock Type at the Mars Pathfinder Landing Site [#1896] We compare multispectral data with quantitative indices of morphologic characteristics to determine the number of unique rock mineralogies — as opposed to purely external or surface materials — at the Mars Pathfinder landing site. .
Recommended publications
  • The Open University | Watch?V=Sk5tpzhhw50
    The Open University | watch?v=SK5tPzHHW50 [MUSIC PLAYING] KAREN FOLEY: So Jan Raack, welcome to the studio. What do you think of our audience's ideas? Aren't they creative? JAN RAACK: Of course, yes. So I joined the online chat a couple of minutes. KAREN FOLEY: I hear you've doing very well. JAN RAACK: Yeah, it was my first time-- KAREN FOLEY: Bringing some sense to the conversation, I hear. JAN RAACK: A little bit of science, yes, but not so much. Yes. KAREN FOLEY: No, that's brilliant. No, thank you. What's it like then for you? You're an academic at the Open University. You've been here not since very long. So you started here in March so it's all been quite new. What's it been like talking with-- and we've got a lot of science students out there. What's it been like as an academic then talking to everybody in this sort of environment? How have you found it? JAN RAACK: A little bit weird, to be honest, because I was a student a couple of years ago, too. And for me, it's a step further from students to ask questions-- to answer questions. So for me, it's really new and I am excited with it, really, and I enjoyed it. Yes. KAREN FOLEY: Excellent. You're now doing a lot of research. So you were from Germany and you've now come to the Open University here in sunny Milton Keynes. JAN RAACK: Sunny, yes. KAREN FOLEY: Well, not really, is it? We won't lie.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils Journal Item
    Open Research Online The Open University’s repository of research publications and other research outputs Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils Journal Item How to cite: Murphy, Jim; Steakley, Kathryn; Balme, Matt; Deprez, Gregoire; Esposito, Francesca; Kahanpää, Henrik; Lemmon, Mark; Lorenz, Ralph; Murdoch, Naomi; Neakrase, Lynn; Patel, Manish and Whelley, Patrick (2016). Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils. Space Science Reviews, 203(1) pp. 39–87. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c 2016 Springer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Version: Accepted Manuscript Link(s) to article on publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1007/s11214-016-0283-y Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk 1 Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils 2 Jim Murphy1, Kathryn Steakley1, Matt Balme2, Gregoire Deprez3, Francesca 3 Esposito4, Henrik Kahapää5, Mark Lemmon6, Ralph Lorenz7, Naomi Murdoch8, Lynn 4 Neakrase1, Manish Patel2, Patrick Whelley9 5 1-New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM, USA 2 - Open University, Milton Keynes UK 6 3 - Laboratoire Atmosphères, Guyancourt, France 4 - INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di 7 Capodimonte, Naples, Italy 5 - Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland 6 - Texas 8 A&M University, College Station TX, USA 7 -Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, 9 Laurel MD USA 8 - ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse University, France 9 - NASA Goddard 10 Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD, USA 11 submitted to SSR 10 May, 2016 12 Revised manuscript 08 August 2016 13 ABSTRACT 14 Surface-based measurements of terrestrial and martian dust devils/convective vortices 15 provided from mobile and stationary platforms are discussed.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling the Development of Martian Sublimation Thermokarst Landforms
    Icarus 262 (2015) 154–169 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Icarus journal homepage: www.journals.elsevier.com/icarus Modeling the development of martian sublimation thermokarst landforms a, b b Colin M. Dundas ⇑, Shane Byrne , Alfred S. McEwen a Astrogeology Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2255 N. Gemini Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA b Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA article info abstract Article history: Sublimation-thermokarst landforms result from collapse of the surface when ice is lost from the subsur- Received 8 August 2014 face. On Mars, scalloped landforms with scales of decameters to kilometers are observed in the mid- Revised 17 June 2015 latitudes and considered likely thermokarst features. We describe a landscape evolution model that cou- Accepted 29 July 2015 ples diffusive mass movement and subsurface ice loss due to sublimation. Over periods of tens of thou- Available online 21 August 2015 sands of Mars years under conditions similar to the present, the model produces scallop-like features similar to those on the martian surface, starting from much smaller initial disturbances. The model also Keywords: indicates crater expansion when impacts occur in surfaces underlain by excess ice to some depth, with Mars, surface morphologies similar to observed landforms on the martian northern plains. In order to produce these Geological processes Mars, climate landforms by sublimation, substantial quantities of excess ice are required, at least comparable to the vertical extent of the landform, and such ice must remain in adjacent terrain to support the non- deflated surface. We suggest that martian thermokarst features are consistent with formation by subli- mation, without melting, and that significant thicknesses of very clean excess ice (up to many tens of meters, the depth of some scalloped depressions) are locally present in the martian mid-latitudes.
    [Show full text]
  • Download the Acquired Data Or to Fix Possible Problem
    Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN FISICA Ciclo 30° Coordinatore: Prof. Salvatore Capozziello Settore Scientifico Disciplinare FIS/05 Characterisation of dust events on Earth and Mars the ExoMars/DREAMS experiment and the field campaigns in the Sahara desert Dottorando Tutore Gabriele Franzese dr. Francesca Esposito Anni 2014/2018 A birbetta e giggione che sono andati troppo veloci e a patata che invece adesso va piano piano Summary Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1 Atmospheric dust on Earth and Mars............................................................ 9 1.1 Mineral Dust ....................................................................................................... 9 1.1.1 Impact on the Terrestrial land-atmosphere-ocean system .......................... 10 1.1.1.1 Direct effect ......................................................................................... 10 1.1.1.2 Semi-direct and indirect effects on the cloud physics ......................... 10 1.1.1.3 Indirect effects on the biogeochemical system .................................... 11 1.1.1.4 Estimation of the total effect ............................................................... 11 1.2 Mars .................................................................................................................. 12 1.2.1 Impact on the Martian land-atmosphere system ......................................... 13 1.3
    [Show full text]
  • Dust Devil Track Survey at the Insight Landing Sites: Implications for the Probability of Solar Panel Clearing Events
    46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2015) 2070.pdf DUST DEVIL TRACK SURVEY AT THE INSIGHT LANDING SITES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROBABILITY OF SOLAR PANEL CLEARING EVENTS. D. Reiss1 and R. D. Lorenz2, Institut für Planeto- logie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, 48149 Münster, Germany, 2Johns Hopkins Uni- versity Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA. Introduction: The InSight robotic lander is scheduled Morphology. Fig. 2 shows an example of a typical newly to land on Mars in September 2016. InSight was designed to formed DDT. The DDTs in the study region are relatively perform the first comprehensive surface-based geophysical straight which is also expressed in their low mean sinuosity investigation of Mars [1]. Passage of vortices may have a of 1.03 (standard deviation = 0.004). The sinuosity is lower number of influences on the geophysical measurements to be compared to mean values of ~1.3 and ~1.08 measured by [8] made by InSight. Seismic data could be influenced by dust in Russell and Gusev crater, respectively. devils and vortices via several mechanisms such as loading of the elastic ground by a surface pressure field which causes a local tilt [e.g. 2]. In addition, the power supply of the In- Sight instruments is provided by solar arrays. Solar-powered missions on Mars like the Sojourner rover in 1997 were af- fected by a decline in electrical power output by 0.2-0.3 % per day caused by steadily dust deposition on its horizontal Fig. 2. Example of observed track formation between HiRISE imag- solar panel [3].
    [Show full text]
  • Scalloped Terrains in the Peneus and Amphitrites Paterae Region of Mars As Observed by Hirise
    Icarus 205 (2010) 259–268 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Icarus journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus Scalloped terrains in the Peneus and Amphitrites Paterae region of Mars as observed by HiRISE A. Lefort *, P.S. Russell, N. Thomas Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland article info abstract Article history: The Peneus and Amphitrites Paterae region of Mars displays large areas of smooth, geologically young Received 10 October 2008 terrains overlying a rougher and older topography. These terrains may be remnants of the mid-latitude Revised 15 May 2009 mantle deposit, which is thought to be composed of ice-rich material originating from airfall deposition Accepted 3 June 2009 during a high-obliquity period less than 5 Ma ago. Within these terrains, there are several types of poten- Available online 14 June 2009 tially periglacial features. In particular, there are networks of polygonal cracks and scalloped-shaped depressions, which are similar to features found in Utopia Planitia in the northern hemisphere. This area Keywords: also displays knobby terrain similar to the so-called ‘‘basketball terrains” of the mid and high martian lat- Mars, Surface itudes. We use recent high resolution images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiR- Geological processes Ices ISE) along with data from previous Mars missions to study the small-scale morphology of the scalloped terrains, and associated polygon network and knobby terrains. We compare these with the features observed in Utopia Planitia and attempt to determine their formation process. While the two sites share many general features, scallops in Peneus/Amphitrites Paterae lack the diverse polygon network (i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Mars Surface Change Detection from Multi-Temporal Orbital Images
    Home Search Collections Journals About Contact us My IOPscience Mars Surface Change Detection from Multi-temporal Orbital Images This content has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text. 2014 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 17 012015 (http://iopscience.iop.org/1755-1315/17/1/012015) View the table of contents for this issue, or go to the journal homepage for more Download details: IP Address: 210.72.26.120 This content was downloaded on 19/05/2014 at 11:02 Please note that terms and conditions apply. 35th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment (ISRSE35) IOP Publishing IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 17 (2014) 012015 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/17/1/012015 Mars Surface Change Detection from Multi-temporal Orbital Images Kaichang Di1, Yiliang Liu, Wenmin Hu, Zongyu Yue, Zhaoqin Liu State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Institute of Remote Sensing Applications, Chinese Academy of Sciences E-mail: (kcdi, ylliu, huwm, yuezy, liuzq)@ irsa.ac.cn Abstract. A vast amount of Mars images have been acquired by orbital missions in recent years. With the increase of spatial resolution to metre and decimetre levels, fine-scale geological features can be identified, and surface change detection is possible because of multi- temporal images. This study briefly reviews detectable changes on the Mars surface, including new impact craters, gullies, dark slope streaks, dust devil tracks and ice caps. To facilitate fast and efficient change detection for subsequent scientific investigations, a featured-based change detection method is developed based on automatic image registration, surface feature extraction and difference information statistics.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils
    Open Archive TOULOUSE Archive Ouverte ( OATAO ) OATAO is an open access repository that collects the work of Toulouse researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. This is an author-deposited version published in: http://oatao.univ-toulous e.fr/ Eprints ID: 17289 To cite this version : Murphy, Jim and Steakley, Kathryn and Balme, Matt and Deprez, Gregoire and Esposito, Francesca and Kahanpaa, Henrik and Lemmon, Mark and Lorenz, Ralph and Murdoch, Naomi and Neakrase, Lynn and Patel, Manish and Whelley, Patrick Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils. (2016) Space Science Reviews, vol. 203 (n° 1). pp. 39-87. ISSN 0038-6308 Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-016-0283-y Any correspondence concerning this service should be sent to the repository administrator: [email protected] Field Measurements of Terrestrial and Martian Dust Devils Jim Murphy1 · Kathryn Steakley1 · Matt Balme2 · Gregoire Deprez3 · Francesca Esposito4 · Henrik Kahanpää5,6 · Mark Lemmon7 · Ralph Lorenz8 · Naomi Murdoch9 · Lynn Neakrase1 · Manish Patel2 · Patrick Whelley10 Abstract Surface-based measurements of terrestrial and martian dust devils/convective vor- tices provided from mobile and stationary platforms are discussed. Imaging of terrestrial dust devils has quantified their rotational and vertical wind speeds, translation speeds, di- mensions, dust load, and frequency of occurrence. Imaging of martian dust devils has pro- vided translation speeds and constraints on dimensions, but only limited constraints on ver- tical motion within a vortex. The longer mission durations on Mars afforded by long op- erating robotic landers and rovers have provided statistical quantification of vortex occur- rence (time-of-sol, and recently seasonal) that has until recently not been a primary outcome of more temporally limited terrestrial dust devil measurement campaigns.
    [Show full text]
  • Meter-Scale Slopes of Candidate MER Landing Sites from Point Photoclinometry Ross A
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 108, NO. E12, 8085, doi:10.1029/2003JE002120, 2003 Meter-scale slopes of candidate MER landing sites from point photoclinometry Ross A. Beyer and Alfred S. McEwen Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA Randolph L. Kirk Astrogeology Team, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Received 13 May 2003; revised 16 July 2003; accepted 22 August 2003; published 4 December 2003. [1] Photoclinometry was used to analyze the small-scale roughness of areas that fall within the proposed Mars Exploration Rover (MER) 2003 landing ellipses. The landing ellipses presented in this study were those in Athabasca Valles, Elysium Planitia, Eos Chasma, Gusev Crater, Isidis Planitia, Melas Chasma, and Meridiani Planum. We were able to constrain surface slopes on length scales comparable to the image resolution (1.5 to 12 m/pixel). The MER 2003 mission has various engineering constraints that each candidate landing ellipse must satisfy. These constraints indicate that the statistical slope values at 5 m baselines are an important criterion. We used our technique to constrain maximum surface slopes across large swaths of each image, and built up slope statistics for the images in each landing ellipse. We are confident that all MER 2003 landing site ellipses in this study, with the exception of the Melas Chasma ellipse, are within the small-scale roughness constraints. Our results have provided input into the landing hazard assessment process. In addition to evaluating the safety of the landing sites, our mapping of small-scale roughnesses can also be used to better define and map morphologic units.
    [Show full text]
  • MARS: TIMING of RECENT and OLDER GEOLOGIC PROCESSES 1:30 P.M
    41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2010) sess752.pdf Friday, March 5, 2010 MARS: TIMING OF RECENT AND OLDER GEOLOGIC PROCESSES 1:30 p.m. Waterway Ballroom 4 Chairs: Serina Diniega Ralph Harvey 1:30 p.m. Morgan G. A. * Head J. W. III Marchant D. Dickson J. Levy J. Sources of Water for Gulley Formation in the Antarctic Dry Valleys: Multi-Year Analysis of Precipitation and Temperature in the South Fork of Upper Wright Valley and Implications for the Origin of Gullies on Mars [#1043] We study Mars gully analogs in the Antarctic Dry Valleys and report on the differences in precipitation, temperature profiles, meltwater sources, and level of fluvial activity in the gullies over a four-year period, and discuss application to Mars. 1:45 p.m. Dickson J. L. * Head J. W. Fassett C. I. Levy J. S. Morgan G. A. The Life Cycle of Young Gullies on Mars: Gullies as a Transient Product of Ice-rich Mantle Emplacement and Removal [#1002] We propose a model for gully evolution on Mars: (1) deposition of ice-rich mantle; (2) erosion of that mantle by surface melting; (3) removal of the mantle, erasing the record of gully activity. This accounts for the lack of older gullies on Mars. 2:00 p.m. Diniega S. * Byrne S. Bridges N. T. Dundas C. M. McEwen A. S. Present-Day Martian Dune Gully Activity [#2216] We identified gullies within 18 dune fields in the southern hemisphere, and gully activity within seven fields. We constrain the timing of activity to late southern winter, which is most consistent with seasonal frost-driven gully evolution theories.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphology, Formation and Distribution of Dust Devil Tracks on Mars: Insights from Terrestrial Analogs
    45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2014) 2011.pdf MORPHOLOGY, FORMATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF DUST DEVIL TRACKS ON MARS: INSIGHTS FROM TERRESTRIAL ANALOGS. D. Reiss, Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms- Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, 48149 Münster, Germany ([email protected]). Introduction: Dust devils are frequently observed on Mars Formation on Mars: DDT formation on Mars can be [e.g., 1-4] and potentially play a key role in maintaining and explained by two main mechanisms based on compositional or replenishing the background dust opacity of the atmosphere photometric differences: (1) Removal or deposition of surface [e.g., 5]. The passage of dust devils across the surface often material exposing or covering substrate material of different leaves dark or sometimes bright tracks [e.g., 6]. Dust devil mineralogic composition (compositional properties), and (2) tracks (DDTs) are abundant [e.g., 5, 7, 8] and can significantly Removal, deposition, redeposition, reorientation, compaction, or lower the surface albedo of larger regions [9] which affects destruction of surface material and, in some cases, exposing or large-scale weather patterns and recent climate change on Mars covering substrate material of different grain size (photometric [10]. In the following, a summary about different dust devil properties). track morphologic types on Earth and Mars will be given. Fur- Continuous dark DDTs. In situ studies of a continuous DDT thermore, several hypotheses of martian and terrestrial dust devil by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit revealed that sub- track formation will be discussed. Finally, a preliminary global strates consisting of sand grains within DDT zones are relatively mapping survey of martian dust devil tracks will be presented free of fine grained dust compared to the bright regions outside which could give further insights into dust devil track formation the tracks [19].
    [Show full text]
  • First In-Situ Analysis of Dust Devil Tracks (Ddts) on Earth and Their Comparison with Tracks on Mars
    EPSC Abstracts Vol. 5, EPSC2010-362, 2010 European Planetary Science Congress 2010 c Author(s) 2010 First in-situ analysis of dust devil tracks (DDTs) on Earth and their comparison with tracks on Mars D. Reiss (1), J. Raack (1), A. Pio Rossi (2,3), G. Di Achille (4), H. Hiesinger (1) (1) Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, 48149 Münster, Germany ([email protected]), (2) International Space Science Institute, Hallerstrasse 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland, (3) Jacobs University Bremen, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, College Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany, (4) Research and Scientific Support Department, European Space Agency, ESA-ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands. 1. Introduction Active dust devils on Mars have been observed leaving tracks, which are mostly darker than their surroundings [1]. Image data of the Microscopic Imager (MI) onboard of the Spirit rover in Gusev crater showed that surfaces composed of sand grains (~1 mm) within dust devil track zones are relatively free of finer grained dust compared to the bright regions outside the tracks [2]. The albedo difference is suggested to be caused by the different grain sizes because the brightness is photometrically inversely proportional to grain size [2]. On Earth, dust devil tracks (DDTs) are rare. [3] observed dust devil tracks in ASTER satellite imagery in the Ténéré desert, Niger. Their formation might be due to the bimodal sand characteristics of the soil, with a layer of fine sands overlying coarser sand. The removal of the fine sand by the passage of a dust devil would expose the coarser sands, which increases the surface roughness causing the strong albedo contrast of the tracks to the surroundings in satellite imagery [3].
    [Show full text]