Conway, Susan J.; Balme, Matthew R.; Murray, John; Towner, Martin C.; Okubo, Chris H. and Grindrod, Peter M.
(2011).
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link: | http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1144/SP356.10 |
|---|---|
| Google Scholar: | Look up in Google Scholar |
Abstract
The formation process of recent gullies on Mars is currently under debate. This study aims to discriminate between the proposed formation processes – pure water flow, debris flow and dry mass wasting – through the application of geomorphological indices commonly used in terrestrial geomorphology. High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of Earth and Mars were used to evaluate the drainage characteristics of small slope sections. Data from Earth were used to validate the hillslope, debris-flow and alluvial process domains previously found for large fluvial catchments on Earth, and these domains were applied to gullied and ungullied slopes on Mars. In accordance with other studies, our results indicate that debris flow is one of the main processes forming the Martian gullies that were being examined. The source of the water is predominantly distributed surface melting, not an underground aquifer. Evidence is also presented indicating that other processes may have shaped Martian crater slopes, such as ice-assisted creep and solifluction, in agreement with the proposed recent Martian glacial and periglacial climate. Our results suggest that, within impact craters, different processes are acting on differently oriented slopes, but further work is needed to investigate the potential link between these observations and changes in Martian climate.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Copyright Holders: | 2011 The Geological Society of London |
| ISSN: | 0305-8719 |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Science > Physical Sciences Science > Environment, Earth and Ecosystems |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) |
| Item ID: | 31324 |
| Depositing User: | Matthew Balme |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Jan 2012 14:47 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Nov 2012 12:09 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/31324 |
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