The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis
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. Hi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Geological Society Publishing House
2011
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53350 |
| _version_ | 1848759122530402304 |
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| author | Conway, S. Balme, M. Murray, J. Towner, Martin Okubo, C. Grindrod, P. |
| author_facet | Conway, S. Balme, M. Murray, J. Towner, Martin Okubo, C. Grindrod, P. |
| author_sort | Conway, S. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:54:52Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-53350 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:54:52Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | Geological Society Publishing House |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-533502017-10-24T00:07:23Z The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis Conway, S. Balme, M. Murray, J. Towner, Martin Okubo, C. Grindrod, P. 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. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53350 10.1144/SP356.10 Geological Society Publishing House restricted |
| spellingShingle | Conway, S. Balme, M. Murray, J. Towner, Martin Okubo, C. Grindrod, P. The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title | The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title_full | The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title_fullStr | The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title_short | The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| title_sort | indication of martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53350 |