Siberian rivers and Martian outflow channels: an analogy

Costard, F.; Gautier, Emmanuelle; Brunstein, Daniel

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511536014.012

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Various studies have highlighted the geomorphologic similarities between some landforms and surface features present on Mars and those found in ice‐rich permafrost and periglacial environments on Earth; these features include patterned ground, pingo‐like features, LDAs, and evidence suggestive of the interaction between volcanism and ground ice [ Carr and Schaber , 1977; Rossbacher and Judson , 1981; Lucchitta , 1981, 1985; Mouginis‐Mark , 1985; Squyres and Carr , 1986; Carr , 1986, 1996; Squyres et al , 1992; Hiesinger and Head , 2000; Head et al , 2003; Mangold et al , 2004; Costard et al , 2007]. For this reason, studies of terrestrial permafrost and periglacial environments are of great interest for understanding the potential physical and electromagnetic properties of water and ice in the Martian subsurface [ Farr et al , 2001; Farr , 2004].…”

Section: Site Description and Analogymentioning

confidence: 99%

Radar sounding of temperate permafrost in Alaska: Analogy to the Martian midlatitude to high-latitude ice-rich terrains

et al. 2011

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[1] Radar detection of subsurface ice on Mars has been widely debated in part because the dielectric signature of ice, as deduced from the dielectric constant, can be confused with dry-silicate-rich materials. To identify the ice dielectric signature, it is crucial to estimate the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity inferred from the dielectric attenuation after removing the scattering loss. Unfortunately, the latter remains poorly quantified at both Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) and shallow subsurface radar SHARAD frequencies. To address this ambiguity, we conducted multiple-frequency ground-penetrating radar and resistivity investigations in well-characterized temperate permafrost in Fairbanks, Alaska. The area shows several geomorphologic similarities to midlatitude and high-latitude terrains on Mars. This approach allowed us to quantify the dielectric and scattering losses in temperate permafrost over the 10 to 1000 MHz frequency band. At 20 MHz, our results suggest an average dielectric loss rate of 0.25 ± 0.03 dB/m, whereas the corresponding average scattering loss rate is 0.94 ± 0.37 dB/m. The scattering loss was found to represent ∼69% of the total signal attenuation. Considering this result and the study by Heggy et al. (2006a) in volcanic environments, we revised the interpretation of the attenuation coefficient calculated from SHARAD data over the Deuteronilus Mensae region and Amazonis Planitia; we then used the reevaluated dielectric loss to estimate the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity. Our results suggest that even if Deuteronilus Mensae deposits and the Vastitas Borealis Formation may have similar dielectric constants, their imaginary parts are different. This implies that the two regions have different bulk compositions, with the former being ice-rich sediments and the latter being nonconsolidated volcanic deposits.

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Section: Site Description and Analogymentioning

confidence: 99%

Radar sounding of temperate permafrost in Alaska: Analogy to the Martian midlatitude to high-latitude ice-rich terrains

et al. 2011

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“…The simplest way to explain the igneous signature on the floor of Ares Vallis is by assuming that the current depth of the channel represents the depth of excavation during channel formation. A detailed study compared Ares Vallis to the Lena River in Siberia and showed that the width to depth ratio and discharge rate of Ares Vallis is consistent with those of rivers in periglacial environments [ Costard et al ., ]. However, this does not address the detail of the channel floor morphology between streamlined islands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposures of olivine‐rich rocks in the vicinity of Ares Vallis: Implications for Noachian and Hesperian volcanism

Wilson

Mustard

2013

JGR Planets

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[1] The igneous evolution of Mars is well represented in stratigraphic settings that transition across major time stratigraphic boundaries. Here we analyze in detail the morphology and composition, determined through visible-near-infrared spectroscopy, of igneous volcanic terrains in Ares Vallis, Mars. Upland plateau units with crater-filling volcanic plains are of Noachian age; smooth units to the west and north of the mouth of Ares Vallis have been mapped as Hesperian in age. The age and origin of the units that comprise the floor of Ares Vallis, connecting the upland plateau units and the smooth units to the west and north of the mouth of Ares Vallis, is less certain due to the small area available for crater counting. The mafic mineral compositions of these units are well resolved with OMEGA (Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité) and CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) data. The data show that the Noachian volcanic units are distinctly olivine-rich, while the plains units to the west and the floor of Ares Vallis volcanics show diagnostic absorptions of olivinepyroxene, typical of Hesperian volcanics elsewhere on Mars. Based on these findings, we propose there has been a change in the temperature and/or degree of partial melting in the mantle over time for this region of Mars.

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“…Costard et al. (2007) also suggested a Siberian analog between the Lena River and Martian outflow channels, as both hydrological systems were or are associated with a periglacial environment characterized by deep and continuous permafrost. The unique morphology of Hebrus Valles characterized by interconnecting caves and sinkholes strongly suggests a volatile‐rich subsurface in the past, as sinkholes and connecting conduit ceilings are commonly found in terrestrial permafrost environments (Costard et al., 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering Martian Flood Infiltration Processes at Hebrus Valles: Insights From Laboratory Experiments and Remote Sensing Observations

Costard,

Rodriguez,

Godin

et al. 2024

JGR Planets

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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 surface and subsurface interactions between liquid water and regolith. Employing physical lab simulations, we utilized buried polygonal tunneling configurations in a sandy matrix to replicate the incision features observed at the channel's terminus. This study provides the first lab‐based evidence demonstrating the role of conduits in conveying large floods in the Hebrus Valles. Our results lend support to the interpretation that Hebrus Valles conveyed high‐volume floods by demonstrating that conduits are necessary to form the features observed on the surface of Hebrus Valles. The experiments also highlight the role of sinkholes as floodwater capture points, which suggests the formation of a regional interconnected network of subsurface channels and caverns. These findings affirm that fluvial dynamics in Hebrus Valles could have expanded subsurface discontinuities into functioning conduit systems, potentially directing floodwaters through an interconnected subterranean network.

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Siberian rivers and Martian outflow channels: an analogy

Cited by 6 publications

References 28 publications

Radar sounding of temperate permafrost in Alaska: Analogy to the Martian midlatitude to high-latitude ice-rich terrains

Radar sounding of temperate permafrost in Alaska: Analogy to the Martian midlatitude to high-latitude ice-rich terrains

Exposures of olivine‐rich rocks in the vicinity of Ares Vallis: Implications for Noachian and Hesperian volcanism

Deciphering Martian Flood Infiltration Processes at Hebrus Valles: Insights From Laboratory Experiments and Remote Sensing Observations

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