Stratigraphical and morphological evidence for pingo genesis in the Cerberus plains

Comment on "Athabasca Valles, Mars: A Lava-Draped Channel System"

“…We have demonstrated that the RMLs and polygonal terrain central to this interpretation are both postdepositional in origin [cf. (9,10)]. …”

“…1, A and D, and Fig. 2, A and C) is not possible (9). This raises two questions, one stratigraphic, one energetic: How can impact craters get "under" primaryformed polygonal sculpture in solid rock, and how do RMLs within the rim survive impact?…”

“…That some RMLs superpose impact craters whereas others are superposed by impact craters is not surprising: the RMLs are interpreted to be intrusive, permafrost features in a variety of stages of growth and decay (9,14). If some are cut by impact craters, then such RMLs precede cratering, but only one need cut a crater rim to establish the postdepositional origin of the whole.…”

Radar Albedo Feature

“…In this respect, the identification of rootless cones have been used to demonstrate the presence of water, water-saturated sediment, or ice (e.g., permafrost mounds or ▶ pingos) in extraterrestrial bodies (Bruno et al 2004;Christensen et al 2003;Hamilton et al 2011;Lanagan et al 2001;Martinez-Alonso et al 2011;Page and Murray 2006).…”

An assessment of evidence for pingos on Mars using HiRISE

“…Using images largely from Viking or the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC; Malin et al, 1992), Judson and Rossbacher (1979), Parker et al (1993), Cabrol et al (2000), Burr et al (2005), Soare et al (2005), Page and Murray (2006), Osinski and Soare (2007) and De Pablo and Komatsu (2009) each proposed various features as candidate pingos on Mars (see also review by Burr et al, 2009). However, in many of these cases this interpretation has been challenged and alternative origins supported (Farrand et al, 2005;Martinez-Alonso et al, 2005;Jaeger et al, 2007;Burr et al, 2009).…”