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Planetary surface dating from crater size-frequency distribution measurements: Poisson timing analysis

Michael, G. G.; Kneissl, T.; Neesemann, A.

The predictions of crater chronology models have customarily been evaluated by dividing a crater population into discrete diameter intervals, plotting the crater density for each, and finding a best-fit model isochron, with the uncertainty in the procedure being assessed using 1/√n estimates, where n is the number of craters in an interval. This a…

Sequence and relative timing of large lakes in Gale crater (Mars) after the formation of Mount Sharp

Mangold, Nicolas; Williams, Rebecca M. E.; Palucis, Marisa C. +6 more

The quantification of lake levels in Gale crater is important to define the hydrologic and climatic history experienced by the sedimentary deposits found by Curiosity. We propose that there were at least three major lake stands within Gale, each persisted >1000 years, and all occurred after Mount Sharp reached close to its current topographic f…

Observations of an aeolian landscape: From surface to orbit in Gale Crater

Day, Mackenzie; Kocurek, Gary

Landscapes derived solely from aeolian processes are rare on Earth because of the dominance of subaqueous processes. In contrast, aeolian-derived landscapes should typify Mars because of the absence of liquid water, the long exposure times of surfaces, and the presence of wind as the default geomorphic agent. Using the full range of available orbi…

The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) of Mars Express and its approach to science analysis and mapping for Mars and its satellites

Jaumann, R.; Oberst, J.; Preusker, F. +32 more

The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) of ESA's Mars Express is designed to map and investigate the topography of Mars. The camera, in particular its Super Resolution Channel (SRC), also obtains images of Phobos and Deimos on a regular basis. As HRSC is a push broom scanning instrument with nine CCD line detectors mounted in parallel, its unique…

Insights into surface runoff on early Mars from paleolake basin morphology and stratigraphy

Mustard, John F.; Goudge, Timothy A.; Head, James W. +2 more

Observations and modeling of northern mid-latitude recurring slope lineae (RSL) suggest recharge by a present-day martian briny aquifer

Michaels, Timothy I.; Hanley, Jennifer; Grimm, Robert E. +1 more

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5-5 m) dark features on Mars that incrementally lengthen down steep slopes, fade in colder seasons, and recur annually. These features have been identified from the northern to southern mid-latitudes. Here, we describe how observations of northern mid-latitude RSL in northern Chryse Planitia and southwest…

Mars Express 10 years at Mars: Observations by the Mars Express Radio Science Experiment (MaRS)

Pätzold, M.; Hahn, M.; Rosenblatt, P. +17 more

The Mars Express spacecraft is operating in Mars orbit since early 2004. The Mars Express Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) employs the spacecraft and ground station radio systems (i) to conduct radio occultations of the atmosphere and ionosphere to obtain vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, neutral number densities and electron density, (ii…

Annual variations in the Martian bow shock location as observed by the Mars Express mission

Holmström, M.; Fränz, M.; Lester, M. +12 more

The Martian bow shock distance has previously been shown to be anticorrelated with solar wind dynamic pressure but correlated with solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance. Since both of these solar parameters reduce with the square of the distance from the Sun, and Mars' orbit about the Sun increases by ∼0.3 AU from perihelion to aphelion, it i…

Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters

Murchie, Scott L.; Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Mustard, John F. +11 more

Geologic context of recurring slope lineae in Melas and Coprates Chasmata, Mars

McEwen, Alfred; Chojnacki, Matthew; Ojha, Lujendra +3 more

One of the major Mars discoveries of recent years is the existence of recurring slope lineae (RSL), which suggests that liquid water occurs on or near the surface of Mars today. These dark and narrow features emerge from steep, rocky exposures and incrementally grow, fade, and reform on a seasonal basis and are detected in images from the High Res…