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Liu J, Qin X, Ren X, Wang X, Sun Y, Zeng X, Wu H, Chen Z, Chen W, Chen Y, Wang C, Sun Z, Zhang R, Ouyang Z, Guo Z, Head JW, Li C. Martian dunes indicative of wind regime shift in line with end of ice age. Nature 2023; 620:303-309. [PMID: 37407822 PMCID: PMC10412455 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06206-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Orbital observations suggest that Mars underwent a recent 'ice age' (roughly 0.4-2.1 million years ago), during which a latitude-dependent ice-dust mantle (LDM)1,2 was emplaced. A subsequent decrease in obliquity amplitude resulted in the emergence of an 'interglacial period'1,3 during which the lowermost latitude LDM ice4-6 was etched and removed, returning it to the polar cap. These observations are consistent with polar cap stratigraphy1,7, but lower- to mid-latitude in situ surface observations in support of a glacial-interglacial transition that can be reconciled with mesoscale and global atmospheric circulation models8 is lacking. Here we present a suite of measurements obtained by the Zhurong rover during its traverse across the southern LDM region in Utopia Planitia, Mars. We find evidence for a stratigraphic sequence involving initial barchan dune formation, indicative of north-easterly winds, cementation of dune sediments, followed by their erosion by north-westerly winds, eroding the barchan dunes and producing distinctive longitudinal dunes, with the transition in wind regime consistent with the end of the ice age. The results are compatible with the Martian polar stratigraphic record and will help improve our understanding of the ancient climate history of Mars9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoguang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingguo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haibin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaopeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wangli Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zezhou Sun
- Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Rongqiao Zhang
- Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyuan Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhengtang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - James W Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Chunlai Li
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Grady MM, Summons RE, Swindle TD, Westall F, Kminek G, Meyer MA, Beaty DW, Carrier BL, Haltigin T, Hays LE, Agee CB, Busemann H, Cavalazzi B, Cockell CS, Debaille V, Glavin DP, Hauber E, Hutzler A, Marty B, McCubbin FM, Pratt LM, Regberg AB, Smith AL, Smith CL, Tait KT, Tosca NJ, Udry A, Usui T, Velbel MA, Wadhwa M, Zorzano MP. The Scientific Importance of Returning Airfall Dust as a Part of Mars Sample Return (MSR). ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:S176-S185. [PMID: 34904884 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Dust transported in the martian atmosphere is of intrinsic scientific interest and has relevance for the planning of human missions in the future. The MSR Campaign, as currently designed, presents an important opportunity to return serendipitous, airfall dust. The tubes containing samples collected by the Perseverance rover would be placed in cache depots on the martian surface perhaps as early as 2023-24 for recovery by a subsequent mission no earlier than 2028-29, and possibly as late as 2030-31. Thus, the sample tube surfaces could passively collect dust for multiple years. This dust is deemed to be exceptionally valuable as it would inform our knowledge and understanding of Mars' global mineralogy, surface processes, surface-atmosphere interactions, and atmospheric circulation. Preliminary calculations suggest that the total mass of such dust on a full set of tubes could be as much as 100 mg and, therefore, sufficient for many types of laboratory analyses. Two planning steps would optimize our ability to take advantage of this opportunity: (1) the dust-covered sample tubes should be loaded into the Orbiting Sample container (OS) with minimal cleaning and (2) the capability to recover this dust early in the workflow within an MSR Sample Receiving Facility (SRF) would need to be established. A further opportunity to advance dust/atmospheric science using MSR, depending upon the design of the MSR Campaign elements, may lie with direct sampling and the return of airborne dust. Summary of Findings FINDING D-1: An accumulation of airfall dust would be an unavoidable consequence of leaving M2020 sample tubes cached and exposed on the surface of Mars. Detailed laboratory analyses of this material would yield new knowledge concerning surface-atmosphere interactions that operate on a global scale, as well as provide input to planning for the future robotic and human exploration of Mars. FINDING D-2: The detailed information that is possible from analysis of airfall dust can only be obtained by investigation in Earth laboratories, and thus this is an important corollary aspect of MSR. The same information cannot be obtained from orbit, from in situ analyses, or from analyses of samples drilled from single locations. FINDING D-3: Given that at least some martian dust would be on the exterior surfaces of any sample tubes returned to Earth, the capability to receive and curate dust in an MSR Sample Receiving Facility (SRF) is essential. SUMMARY STATEMENT: The fact that any sample tubes cached on the martian surface would accumulate some quantity of martian airfall dust presents a low-cost scientifically valuable opportunity. Some of this dust would inadvertently be knocked off as part of tube manipulation operations, but any dust possible should be loaded into the OS along with the sample tubes. This dust should be captured in an SRF and made available for detailed scientific analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger E Summons
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Timothy D Swindle
- University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
| | | | - Michael A Meyer
- NASA Headquarters, Mars Sample Return Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David W Beaty
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Brandi L Carrier
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | - Lindsay E Hays
- NASA Headquarters, Mars Sample Return Program, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Carl B Agee
- University of New Mexico, Institute of Meteoritics, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Henner Busemann
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Cavalazzi
- Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Bologna, Italy
| | - Charles S Cockell
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Daniel P Glavin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar System Exploration Division, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Ernst Hauber
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Francis M McCubbin
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lisa M Pratt
- Indiana University Bloomington, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Aaron B Regberg
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alvin L Smith
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Caroline L Smith
- Natural History Museum, Department of Earth Sciences, London, UK
- University of Glasgow, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kimberly T Tait
- Royal Ontario Museum, Department of Natural History, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Tosca
- University of Cambridge, Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge, UK
| | - Arya Udry
- University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Tomohiro Usui
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Chofu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michael A Velbel
- Michigan State University, Earth and Environmental Sciences, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Smithsonian Institution, Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Meenakshi Wadhwa
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Maria-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiologia (CSIC-INTA), Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain
- University of Aberdeen, Department of Planetary Sciences, School of Geosciences, King's College, Aberdeen, UK
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3
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Stack KM, Dietrich WE, Lamb MP, Sullivan RJ, Christian JR, Newman CE, O’Connell‐Cooper CD, Sneed JW, Day M, Baker M, Arvidson RE, Fedo CM, Khan S, Williams RME, Bennett KA, Bryk AB, Cofield S, Edgar LA, Fox VK, Fraeman AA, House CH, Rubin DM, Sun VZ, Van Beek JK. Orbital and In-Situ Investigation of Periodic Bedrock Ridges in Glen Torridon, Gale Crater, Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2022; 127:e2021JE007096. [PMID: 35865672 PMCID: PMC9286800 DOI: 10.1029/2021je007096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Gale crater, the field site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, contains a diverse and extensive record of aeolian deposition and erosion. This study focuses on a series of regularly spaced, curvilinear, and sometimes branching bedrock ridges that occur within the Glen Torridon region on the lower northwest flank of Aeolis Mons, the central mound within Gale crater. During Curiosity's exploration of Glen Torridon between sols ∼2300-3080, the rover drove through this field of ridges, providing the opportunity for in situ observation of these features. This study uses orbiter and rover data to characterize ridge morphology, spatial distribution, compositional and material properties, and association with other aeolian features in the area. Based on these observations, we find that the Glen Torridon ridges are consistent with an origin as wind-eroded bedrock ridges, carved during the exhumation of Mount Sharp. Erosional features like the Glen Torridon ridges observed elsewhere on Mars, termed periodic bedrock ridges (PBRs), have been interpreted to form transverse to the dominant wind direction. The size and morphology of the Glen Torridon PBRs are consistent with transverse formative winds, but the orientation of nearby aeolian bedforms and bedrock erosional features raise the possibility of PBR formation by a net northeasterly wind regime. Although several formation models for the Glen Torridon PBRs are still under consideration, and questions persist about the nature of PBR-forming paleowinds, the presence of PBRs at this site provides important constraints on the depositional and erosional history of Gale crater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Stack
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - William E. Dietrich
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Michael P. Lamb
- Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Robert J. Sullivan
- Cornell Center for Astrophysics & Planetary ScienceCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - John R. Christian
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | | | | | - Jonathan W. Sneed
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Mackenzie Day
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Mariah Baker
- Center for Earth & Planetary StudiesNational Air & Space MuseumSmithsonian InstitutionWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Raymond E. Arvidson
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Christopher M. Fedo
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of Tennessee, KnoxvilleKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Sabrina Khan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | | | | | - Alexander B. Bryk
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Shannon Cofield
- U.S. Department of the InteriorBureau of Ocean Energy ManagementWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Lauren A. Edgar
- Astrogeology Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyFlagstaffAZUSA
| | - Valerie K. Fox
- Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - Abigail A. Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | | | - David M. Rubin
- Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCAUSA
| | - Vivian Z. Sun
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Jason K. Van Beek
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
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4
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Emran A, Marzen LJ, King Jr. DT, Chevrier VF. Thermophysical and Compositional Analyses of Dunes at Hargraves Crater, Mars. THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL 2021; 2:218. [DOI: 10.3847/psj/ac25ee] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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5
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Recognition of Sedimentary Rock Occurrences in Satellite and Aerial Images of Other Worlds—Insights from Mars. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13214296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Sedimentary rocks provide records of past surface and subsurface processes and environments. The first step in the study of the sedimentary rock record of another world is to learn to recognize their occurrences in images from instruments aboard orbiting, flyby, or aerial platforms. For two decades, Mars has been known to have sedimentary rocks; however, planet-wide identification is incomplete. Global coverage at 0.25–6 m/pixel, and observations from the Curiosity rover in Gale crater, expand the ability to recognize Martian sedimentary rocks. No longer limited to cases that are light-toned, lightly cratered, and stratified—or mimic original depositional setting (e.g., lithified deltas)—Martian sedimentary rocks include dark-toned examples, as well as rocks that are erosion-resistant enough to retain small craters as well as do lava flows. Breakdown of conglomerates, breccias, and even some mudstones, can produce a pebbly regolith that imparts a “smooth” appearance in satellite and aerial images. Context is important; sedimentary rocks remain challenging to distinguish from primary igneous rocks in some cases. Detection of ultramafic, mafic, or andesitic compositions do not dictate that a rock is igneous, and clast genesis should be considered separately from the depositional record. Mars likely has much more sedimentary rock than previously recognized.
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6
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Dundas CM, Becerra P, Byrne S, Chojnacki M, Daubar IJ, Diniega S, Hansen CJ, Herkenhoff KE, Landis ME, McEwen AS, Portyankina G, Valantinas A. Active Mars: A Dynamic World. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2021; 126:e2021JE006876. [PMID: 35845553 PMCID: PMC9285055 DOI: 10.1029/2021je006876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mars exhibits diverse surface changes at all latitudes and all seasons. Active processes include impact cratering, aeolian sand and dust transport, a variety of slope processes, changes in polar ices, and diverse effects of seasonal CO2 frost. The extent of surface change has been surprising and indicates that the present climate is capable of reshaping the surface. Activity has important implications for the Amazonian history of Mars: understanding processes is a necessary step before we can understand their implications and variations over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M. Dundas
- U.S. Geological SurveyAstrogeology Science CenterFlagstaffAZUSA
| | | | - Shane Byrne
- Lunar and Planetary LaboratoryUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
| | | | - Ingrid J. Daubar
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary SciencesBrown UniversityProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Serina Diniega
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | | | | | - Margaret E. Landis
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
| | | | - Ganna Portyankina
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
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7
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Emran A, Marzen LJ, King DT. Semiautomated Identification and Characterization of Dunes at Hargraves Crater, Mars. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE 2020; 7. [DOI: 10.1029/2019ea000935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) contains information on Martian dune fields and prepared manually from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS; 100 m/pixel) images. Although the MGD3 outlines dune fields, it overlooks the recognition of smaller dune forms. This paper aims to identify individual dunes from a semiautomated object‐based image analysis technique and characterize dune materials at Hargraves crater, Mars. MGD3 would benefit to be updated for an improved understanding of the Martian surface and its atmospheric mechanisms at a local scale. An object‐based image analysis technique was applied here to the Context Camera (CTX; 6 m/pixel) data set to extract dune data in a more efficient, reliable, and accurate fashion. This study is a test case in validating a remote sensing method that has wide applicability to the entire Martian surface resulting in an update to the dune database at a higher spatial resolution—providing a better understanding of surface and atmospheric behavior of Mars at the local scale. We also explored the wind flow and dune stability—presenting an insight into the dune modification mechanism—within the crater. The prevailing wind inside the crater flows to the west‐northwest. The dunes are labeled as active (stability index of 2) and do not appear to have been influenced by subsurface water ice or volatiles. We emphasize that the technique used here has a wide prospect in temporal monitoring of dune sediment flux, dune migration or erosion rates, improving near‐surface airflow modeling, and dune stability analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Emran
- Center for Space and Planetary Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
- Department of Geosciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - L. J. Marzen
- Department of Geosciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - D. T. King
- Department of Geosciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
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8
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Silvestro S, Chojnacki M, Vaz DA, Cardinale M, Yizhaq H, Esposito F. Megaripple Migration on Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2020; 125:e2020JE006446. [PMID: 33133993 PMCID: PMC7583471 DOI: 10.1029/2020je006446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Aeolian megaripples, with 5- to 50-m spacing, are abundant on the surface of Mars. These features were repeatedly targeted by high-resolution orbital images, but they have never been observed to move. Thus, aeolian megaripples (especially the bright-toned ones often referred as Transverse Aeolian Ridges-TARs) have been interpreted as relict features of a past climate. In this report, we show evidence for the migration of bright-toned megaripples spaced 1 to 35 m (5 m on average) in two equatorial areas on Mars indicating that megaripples and small TARs can be active today. The moving megaripples display sand fluxes that are 2 orders of magnitudes lower than the surrounding dunes on average and, unlike similar bedforms on Earth, can migrate obliquely and longitudinally. In addition, the active megaripples in the two study areas of Syrtis Major and Mawrth Vallis show very similar flux distributions, echoing the similarities between dune crest fluxes in the two study areas and suggesting the existence of a relationship between dune and megaripple fluxes that can be explored elsewhere. Active megaripples, together with high-sand flux dunes, represent a key indicator of strong winds at the surface of Mars. A past climate with a denser atmosphere is not necessary to explain their accumulation and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Silvestro
- INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di CapodimonteNapoliItaly
- SETI InstituteMountain ViewCAUSA
| | - M. Chojnacki
- Lunar and Planetary LaboratoryUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
- Planetary Science InstituteTucsonAZUSA
| | - D. A. Vaz
- Centre for Earth and Space Research of the University of CoimbraObservatório Geofísico e Astronómico da Universidade de CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
| | | | - H. Yizhaq
- Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, BIDRBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeershebaIsrael
| | - F. Esposito
- INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di CapodimonteNapoliItaly
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Ehlmann BL, Edgett KS, Sutter B, Achilles CN, Litvak ML, Lapotre MGA, Sullivan R, Fraeman AA, Arvidson RE, Blake DF, Bridges NT, Conrad PG, Cousin A, Downs RT, Gabriel TSJ, Gellert R, Hamilton VE, Hardgrove C, Johnson JR, Kuhn S, Mahaffy PR, Maurice S, McHenry M, Meslin PY, Ming DW, Minitti ME, Morookian JM, Morris RV, O'Connell-Cooper CD, Pinet PC, Rowland SK, Schröder S, Siebach KL, Stein NT, Thompson LM, Vaniman DT, Vasavada AR, Wellington DF, Wiens RC, Yen AS. Chemistry, mineralogy, and grain properties at Namib and High dunes, Bagnold dune field, Gale crater, Mars: A synthesis of Curiosity rover observations. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2017; 122:2510-2543. [PMID: 29497589 DOI: 10.1002/2016je005225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover performed coordinated measurements to examine the textures and compositions of aeolian sands in the active Bagnold dune field. The Bagnold sands are rounded to subrounded, very fine to medium sized (~45-500 μm) with ≥6 distinct grain colors. In contrast to sands examined by Curiosity in a dust-covered, inactive bedform called Rocknest and soils at other landing sites, Bagnold sands are darker, less red, better sorted, have fewer silt-sized or smaller grains, and show no evidence for cohesion. Nevertheless, Bagnold mineralogy and Rocknest mineralogy are similar with plagioclase, olivine, and pyroxenes in similar proportions comprising >90% of crystalline phases, along with a substantial amorphous component (35% ± 15%). Yet Bagnold and Rocknest bulk chemistry differ. Bagnold sands are Si enriched relative to other soils at Gale crater, and H2O, S, and Cl are lower relative to all previously measured Martian soils and most Gale crater rocks. Mg, Ni, Fe, and Mn are enriched in the coarse-sieved fraction of Bagnold sands, corroborated by visible/near-infrared spectra that suggest enrichment of olivine. Collectively, patterns in major element chemistry and volatile release data indicate two distinctive volatile reservoirs in Martian soils: (1) amorphous components in the sand-sized fraction (represented by Bagnold) that are Si-enriched, hydroxylated alteration products and/or H2O- or OH-bearing impact or volcanic glasses and (2) amorphous components in the fine fraction (<40 μm; represented by Rocknest and other bright soils) that are Fe, S, and Cl enriched with low Si and adsorbed and structural H2O.
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10
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Ehlmann BL, Edgett KS, Sutter B, Achilles CN, Litvak ML, Lapotre MGA, Sullivan R, Fraeman AA, Arvidson RE, Blake DF, Bridges NT, Conrad PG, Cousin A, Downs RT, Gabriel TSJ, Gellert R, Hamilton VE, Hardgrove C, Johnson JR, Kuhn S, Mahaffy PR, Maurice S, McHenry M, Meslin P, Ming DW, Minitti ME, Morookian JM, Morris RV, O'Connell‐Cooper CD, Pinet PC, Rowland SK, Schröder S, Siebach KL, Stein NT, Thompson LM, Vaniman DT, Vasavada AR, Wellington DF, Wiens RC, Yen AS. Chemistry, mineralogy, and grain properties at Namib and High dunes, Bagnold dune field, Gale crater, Mars: A synthesis of Curiosity rover observations. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2017; 122:2510-2543. [PMID: 29497589 PMCID: PMC5815393 DOI: 10.1002/2017je005267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover performed coordinated measurements to examine the textures and compositions of aeolian sands in the active Bagnold dune field. The Bagnold sands are rounded to subrounded, very fine to medium sized (~45-500 μm) with ≥6 distinct grain colors. In contrast to sands examined by Curiosity in a dust-covered, inactive bedform called Rocknest and soils at other landing sites, Bagnold sands are darker, less red, better sorted, have fewer silt-sized or smaller grains, and show no evidence for cohesion. Nevertheless, Bagnold mineralogy and Rocknest mineralogy are similar with plagioclase, olivine, and pyroxenes in similar proportions comprising >90% of crystalline phases, along with a substantial amorphous component (35% ± 15%). Yet Bagnold and Rocknest bulk chemistry differ. Bagnold sands are Si enriched relative to other soils at Gale crater, and H2O, S, and Cl are lower relative to all previously measured Martian soils and most Gale crater rocks. Mg, Ni, Fe, and Mn are enriched in the coarse-sieved fraction of Bagnold sands, corroborated by visible/near-infrared spectra that suggest enrichment of olivine. Collectively, patterns in major element chemistry and volatile release data indicate two distinctive volatile reservoirs in Martian soils: (1) amorphous components in the sand-sized fraction (represented by Bagnold) that are Si-enriched, hydroxylated alteration products and/or H2O- or OH-bearing impact or volcanic glasses and (2) amorphous components in the fine fraction (<40 μm; represented by Rocknest and other bright soils) that are Fe, S, and Cl enriched with low Si and adsorbed and structural H2O.
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11
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Chojnacki M, Burr DM, Moersch JE, Michaels TI. Orbital observations of contemporary dune activity in Endeavor crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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12
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Tirsch D, Jaumann R, Pacifici A, Poulet F. Dark aeolian sediments in Martian craters: Composition and sources. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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13
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Golombek M, Robinson K, McEwen A, Bridges N, Ivanov B, Tornabene L, Sullivan R. Constraints on ripple migration at Meridiani Planum from Opportunity and HiRISE observations of fresh craters. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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14
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Fergason RL, Christensen PR. Formation and erosion of layered materials: Geologic and dust cycle history of eastern Arabia Terra, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je002973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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15
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Piqueux S, Christensen PR. North and south subice gas flow and venting of the seasonal caps of Mars: A major geomorphological agent. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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16
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Sullivan R, Arvidson R, Bell JF, Gellert R, Golombek M, Greeley R, Herkenhoff K, Johnson J, Thompson S, Whelley P, Wray J. Wind-driven particle mobility on Mars: Insights from Mars Exploration Rover observations at “El Dorado” and surroundings at Gusev Crater. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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17
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Leask HJ, Wilson L, Mitchell KL. Formation of Mangala Valles outflow channel, Mars: Morphological development and water discharge and duration estimates. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Harald J. Leask
- Planetary Science Research Group, Environmental Science Department; Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Lionel Wilson
- Planetary Science Research Group, Environmental Science Department; Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Karl L. Mitchell
- Planetary Science Research Group, Environmental Science Department; Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Pasadena California USA
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18
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Fishbaugh KE, Poulet F, Chevrier V, Langevin Y, Bibring JP. On the origin of gypsum in the Mars north polar region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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19
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Malin MC, Bell JF, Cantor BA, Caplinger MA, Calvin WM, Clancy RT, Edgett KS, Edwards L, Haberle RM, James PB, Lee SW, Ravine MA, Thomas PC, Wolff MJ. Context Camera Investigation on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 805] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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20
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McEwen AS, Eliason EM, Bergstrom JW, Bridges NT, Hansen CJ, Delamere WA, Grant JA, Gulick VC, Herkenhoff KE, Keszthelyi L, Kirk RL, Mellon MT, Squyres SW, Thomas N, Weitz CM. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1056] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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21
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Developing luminescence dating for extraterrestrial applications: Characterization of martian simulants and minerals. RADIAT MEAS 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2007.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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22
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Fergason RL, Christensen PR, Kieffer HH. High-resolution thermal inertia derived from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS): Thermal model and applications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robin L. Fergason
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Mars Space Flight Facility; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Philip R. Christensen
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Mars Space Flight Facility; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
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23
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Greeley R, Whelley PL, Arvidson RE, Cabrol NA, Foley DJ, Franklin BJ, Geissler PG, Golombek MP, Kuzmin RO, Landis GA, Lemmon MT, Neakrase LDV, Squyres SW, Thompson SD. Active dust devils in Gusev crater, Mars: Observations from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Greeley
- School of Earth and Space Exploration; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Patrick L. Whelley
- School of Earth and Space Exploration; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Raymond E. Arvidson
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis Missouri USA
| | | | - Daniel J. Foley
- School of Earth and Space Exploration; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | | | - Paul G. Geissler
- Astrogeology Program; U.S. Geological Survey; Flagstaff Arizona USA
| | | | | | | | - Mark T. Lemmon
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences; Texas A&M University; College Station Texas USA
| | - Lynn D. V. Neakrase
- School of Earth and Space Exploration; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | | | - Shane D. Thompson
- School of Earth and Space Exploration; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
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24
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Schatz V, Tsoar H, Edgett KS, Parteli EJR, Herrmann HJ. Evidence for indurated sand dunes in the Martian north polar region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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25
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Kahre MA, Murphy JR, Haberle RM. Modeling the Martian dust cycle and surface dust reservoirs with the NASA Ames general circulation model. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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26
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Bridges NT, Phoreman J, White BR, Greeley R, Eddlemon EE, Wilson GR, Meyer CJ. Trajectories and energy transfer of saltating particles onto rock surfaces: Application to abrasion and ventifact formation on Earth and Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1029/2004je002388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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27
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28
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Bourke MC. Aeolian sediment transport pathways and aerodynamics at troughs on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1029/2003je002155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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29
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Wilson SA. Latitude-dependent nature and physical characteristics of transverse aeolian ridges on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1029/2004je002247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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30
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Reiss D. Absolute dune ages and implications for the time of formation of gullies in Nirgal Vallis, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1029/2004je002251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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31
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Fenton LK, Bandfield JL, Ward AW. Aeolian processes in Proctor Crater on Mars: Sedimentary history as analyzed from multiple data sets. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002je002015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lori K. Fenton
- Department of Geological Sciences; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Joshua L. Bandfield
- Department of Geological Sciences; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
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32
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Greeley R, Kuzmin RO, Rafkin SCR, Michaels TI, Haberle R. Wind-related features in Gusev crater, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002je002006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Greeley
- Department of Geological Sciences; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | | | - Scot C. R. Rafkin
- Department of Meteorology; San Jose State University; San Jose California USA
| | - Timothy I. Michaels
- Department of Meteorology; San Jose State University; San Jose California USA
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33
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34
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35
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Wyatt MB. Analysis of surface compositions in the Oxia Palus region on Mars from Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer Observations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002je001986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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36
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Merrison JP, Bertelsen P, Frandsen C, Gunnlaugsson P, Knudsen JM, Lunt S, Madsen MB, Mossin LA, Nielsen J, Nørnberg P, Rasmussen KR, Uggerhøj E. Simulation of the Martian dust aerosol at low wind speeds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2002. [DOI: 10.1029/2001je001807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. P. Merrison
- Institute for Storage Ring Facilities; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | - P. Bertelsen
- Ørsted Laboratory; Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics; Copenhagen Denmark
| | - C. Frandsen
- Ørsted Laboratory; Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics; Copenhagen Denmark
| | - P. Gunnlaugsson
- Institute for Physics and Astronomy; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | - J. M. Knudsen
- Ørsted Laboratory; Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics; Copenhagen Denmark
| | - S. Lunt
- Institute for Storage Ring Facilities; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | - M. B. Madsen
- Ørsted Laboratory; Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics; Copenhagen Denmark
| | - L. A. Mossin
- Department of Earth Sciences; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | - J. Nielsen
- Institute for Physics and Astronomy; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | - P. Nørnberg
- Department of Earth Sciences; Aarhus University; Denmark
| | | | - E. Uggerhøj
- Institute for Storage Ring Facilities; Aarhus University; Denmark
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37
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Ruff SW, Christensen PR. Bright and dark regions on Mars: Particle size and mineralogical characteristics based on Thermal Emission Spectrometer data. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2002. [DOI: 10.1029/2001je001580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 318] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven W. Ruff
- Mars Space Flight Facility, Department of Geological Sciences; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Philip R. Christensen
- Mars Space Flight Facility, Department of Geological Sciences; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona USA
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38
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Newman CE, Lewis SR, Read PL, Forget F. Modeling the Martian dust cycle, 1. Representations of dust transport processes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2002. [DOI: 10.1029/2002je001910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire E. Newman
- Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics; Oxford University; Oxford UK
| | - Stephen R. Lewis
- Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics; Oxford University; Oxford UK
| | - Peter L. Read
- Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics; Oxford University; Oxford UK
| | - François Forget
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique du CNRS; Université Paris 6; Paris France
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39
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Craddock
- Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum; Smithsonian Institution; Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Alan D. Howard
- Department of Environmental Sciences; University of Virginia; Charlottesville Virginia USA
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40
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Edgett KS. Low-albedo surfaces and eolian sediment: Mars Orbiter Camera views of western Arabia Terra craters and wind streaks. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2002. [DOI: 10.1029/2001je001587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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41
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Fenton LK, Richardson MI. Martian surface winds: Insensitivity to orbital changes and implications for aeolian processes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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42
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Pelkey SM, Jakosky BM, Mellon MT. Thermal inertia of crater-related wind streaks on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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43
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Malin MC, Edgett KS. Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: Interplanetary cruise through primary mission. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 671] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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44
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Sullivan R, Thomas P, Veverka J, Malin M, Edgett KS. Mass movement slope streaks imaged by the Mars Orbiter Camera. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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45
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Jakosky BM, Mellon MT. High-resolution thermal inertia mapping of Mars: Sites of exobiological interest. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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46
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Mustard JF, Cooper CD, Rifkin MK. Evidence for recent climate change on Mars from the identification of youthful near-surface ground ice. Nature 2001; 412:411-4. [PMID: 11473309 DOI: 10.1038/35086515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 451] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Ground ice in the crust and soil may be one of the largest reservoirs of water on Mars. Near-surface ground ice is predicted to be stable at latitudes higher than 40 degrees (ref. 4), where a number of geomorphologic features indicative of viscous creep and hence ground ice have been observed. Mid-latitude soils have also been implicated as a water-ice reservoir, the capacity of which is predicted to vary on a 100,000-year timescale owing to orbitally driven variations in climate. It is uncertain, however, whether near-surface ground ice currently exists at these latitudes, and how it is changing with time. Here we report observational evidence for a mid-latitude reservoir of near-surface water ice occupying the pore space of soils. The thickness of the ice-occupied soil reservoir (1-10 m) and its distribution in the 30 degrees to 60 degrees latitude bands indicate a reservoir of (1.5-6.0) x 104 km3, equivalent to a global layer of water 10-40 cm thick. We infer that the reservoir was created during the last phase of high orbital obliquity less than 100,000 years ago, and is now being diminished.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Mustard
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
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47
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Banfield JF, Moreau JW, Chan CS, Welch SA, Little B. Mineralogical biosignatures and the search for life on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2001; 1:447-465. [PMID: 12448978 DOI: 10.1089/153110701753593856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
If life ever existed, or still exists, on Mars, its record is likely to be found in minerals formed by, or in association with, microorganisms. An important concept regarding interpretation of the mineralogical record for evidence of life is that, broadly defined, life perturbs disequilibria that arise due to kinetic barriers and can impart unexpected structure to an abiotic system. Many features of minerals and mineral assemblages may serve as biosignatures even if life does not have a familiar terrestrial chemical basis. Biological impacts on minerals and mineral assemblages may be direct or indirect. Crystalline or amorphous biominerals, an important category of mineralogical biosignatures, precipitate under direct cellular control as part of the life cycle of the organism (shells, tests, phytoliths) or indirectly when cell surface layers provide sites for heterogeneous nucleation. Biominerals also form indirectly as by-products of metabolism due to changing mineral solubility. Mineralogical biosignatures include distinctive mineral surface structures or chemistry that arise when dissolution and/or crystal growth kinetics are influenced by metabolic by-products. Mineral assemblages themselves may be diagnostic of the prior activity of organisms where barriers to precipitation or dissolution of specific phases have been overcome. Critical to resolving the question of whether life exists, or existed, on Mars is knowing how to distinguish biologically induced structure and organization patterns from inorganic phenomena and inorganic self-organization. This task assumes special significance when it is acknowledged that the majority of, and perhaps the only, material to be returned from Mars will be mineralogical.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Banfield
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
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48
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Sullivan R, Greeley R, Kraft M, Wilson G, Golombek M, Herkenhoff K, Murphy J, Smith P. Results of the Imager for Mars Pathfinder windsock experiment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.1029/1999je001234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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49
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Abstract
Relatively young landforms on Mars, seen in high-resolution images acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera since March 1999, suggest the presence of sources of liquid water at shallow depths beneath the martian surface. Found at middle and high martian latitudes (particularly in the southern hemisphere), gullies within the walls of a very small number of impact craters, south polar pits, and two of the larger martian valleys display geomorphic features that can be explained by processes associated with groundwater seepage and surface runoff. The relative youth of the landforms is indicated by the superposition of the gullies on otherwise geologically young surfaces and by the absence of superimposed landforms or cross-cutting features, including impact craters, small polygons, and eolian dunes. The limited size and geographic distribution of the features argue for constrained source reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Malin
- Malin Space Science Systems, Post Office Box 910148, San Diego, CA 92191-0148, USA
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