Search Publications
Development and Evolution of Icy Layer Outcrops on Mars' North Polar Ice Cap: Observations of Vertical and Lateral Variability
Mustard, John F.; Becerra, Patricio; Bramson, Ali M. +1 more
Mars' north polar ice cap features troughs that cut into the ice, exposing subsurface layers of different brightness and topographic expression. Specifically, these layers represent two different stratum types: lower albedo (higher dust content) marker beds, which protrude out of the wall topographically, and higher albedo (i.e., icier) interbeds,…
Shallow Water Ice Detection From SHARAD Data in Central Utopia Planitia, Mars
Bugiolacchi, Roberto; Xu, Xiaoting; Xu, Yi +5 more
One of the key scientific goals of China's first Mars mission Tianwen-1 is to search for ground ice. This study focuses on investigating potential water ice reservoirs in the vicinity of the landing site of the Zhurong rover to provide geological context and references for data interpretation. Our study area is centered on Utopia Planitia (UP), wh…
Martian Atmospheric Disturbances From Orbital Images and Surface Pressure at Jezero Crater, Mars, During Martian Year 36
Hueso, R.; Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Toledo, D. +13 more
We present a study of atmospheric disturbances at Jezero Crater, Mars, using ground-based measurements of surface pressure by the Perseverance rover in combination with orbital images from the Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter missions. The study starts at Ls ∼ 13.3° in MY36 (6 March 2021) and extends up to Ls ∼ 30…
Atmospheric Gravity Waves in Mars' Lower Atmosphere: Nadir Observations From OMEGA/Mars Express Data
Gilli, G.; Machado, P.; Wilson, C. +6 more
We present the detection and characterization of mesoscale waves on the lower clouds of Mars (20–40 km) using hyperspectral images from the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité (OMEGA) onboard the European Mars Express space mission. We used image navigation and processing techniques based on contrast enhancement and g…
Gravity-Driven Differences in Fluvial Sediment Transport on Mars and Earth
Sefton-Nash, Elliot; Braat, Lisanne; Lamb, Michael P. +1 more
There is abundant evidence from fluvial landforms and deposits that Mars had rivers that actively transported sediment and shaped its surface. Sediment transport equations are playing a key role in quantifying river processes from these observations, which continue to increase in quality and quantity. In this study, we review sediment transport eq…
The Morphology of Martian Pyroclastic Ramparts and Their Use in Determining Vent-Proximal Eruption Dynamics
Wilson, L.; Pieterek, B.; Jones, T. J.
High-resolution investigations of Late Amazonian volcanic landforms provide previously unrevealed insights into the dynamics of Martian volcanic eruptions. On Earth, the formation of vent-proximal accumulations of spatter deposits is attributed to low-intensity lava fountaining episodes representing eruptions on the very edge of explosive activity…
Deciphering Martian Flood Infiltration Processes at Hebrus Valles: Insights From Laboratory Experiments and Remote Sensing Observations
Séjourné, A.; Kargel, J. S.; Costard, F. +2 more
In evaluating the unique geomorphology of Hebrus Valles on Mars, an outflow channel southeast of Utopia Planitia, we investigated the role of fluvial dynamics in forming subsurface conduits. Unlike typical Martian channels that terminate under younger sediment rocks, Hebrus Valles retains its downstream features, thus offering a window into surfac…
An Orbital Comparison of a Late Mantling Unit on Aeolis Mons With Other Erosion-Resistant Strata Explored by MSL in Gale Crater, Mars
Bennett, K.; Kite, E.; Bryk, A. B. +7 more
Previous investigations along Curiosity's traverse in Gale crater have explored the relationship between orbital and in situ observations. This work aims to better understand the geologic environment of units only observable from orbit and compare them to the properties of units examined by Curiosity. Here, we map an erosion-resistant dark-toned m…
Unraveling the Tectonic History of the Tharsis Rise on Mars: Plume Migration and Critical Taper Dome
Karagoz, Oguzcan; Kenkmann, Thomas; Hergarten, Stefan
Wrinkle ridges are widespread tectonic landforms that serve as paleo-strain and paleo-stress indicators of the compressional history and thermal evolution of Mars. To reconstruct the center of the Tharsis rise and its migration with time, we mapped wrinkle ridges in the periphery of the dome and analyzed 34,741 wrinkle ridge segments with a total …
Morphological and Structural Characterization of Shortening Landforms on Mars
Klimczak, Christian; McCullough, Leta R.; Crane, Kelsey T. +1 more
The lithosphere of Mars accommodates horizontal shortening through folding and faulting, producing landforms described as wrinkle ridges or lobate scarps. Despite this nomenclature, we lack a deep understanding of the drivers of morphological differences observed between landform types. This study aims to develop a quantitative model for shortenin…