Morphological evidence for geologically young thaw of ice on Mars : A review of recent studies using high-resolution imaging data

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
The paper includes first a brief summary of relevant aspects of the martian climate, and a short description of the most common landforms thought to be indicative of near-surface ice (with or without thaw) on Mars. Three such landform assemblages are described : a high-latitude assemblage comprising features interpreted to be sorted clastic stripes, circles and polygons, non-sorted polygonally patterned ground, fluvial gullies, and solifluction lobes; a mid-latitude assemblage comprising gullies, patterned ground, debris-covered glaciers and hillslope stripes; and an equatorial assemblage of linked basins, patterned ground, possible pingos, and channel-and-scarp features interpreted to be retrogressive thaw-slumps. Hypotheses to explain these observations are explored, including recent climate change, and hydrated minerals in the regolith thawing to form liquid brines at very low temperatures. The use of terrestrial analogue field sites is also discussed.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Progress in physical geography, issn : 0309-1333, 2013, vol. 37, n°. 3, p. 289-324, nombre de pages : 36, Références bibliographiques : 6 p.

Date :
2013

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, London, Sage Publications