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    The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Conway, S.
    Balme, M.
    Murray, J.
    Towner, Martin
    Okubo, C.
    Grindrod, P.
    Date
    2011
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
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    Citation
    Conway, S. and Balme, M. and Murray, J. and Towner, M. and Okubo, C. and Grindrod, P. 2011. The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis. Geological Society Special Publication. 356: pp. 171-201.
    Source Title
    Geological Society Special Publication
    DOI
    10.1144/SP356.10
    ISSN
    0305-8719
    School
    Department of Applied Geology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53350
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    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.

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