Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p41a1349k&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P41A-1349
Physics
0545 Modeling (4255), 3299 General Or Miscellaneous, 5419 Hydrology And Fluvial Processes
Scientific paper
Our study aims to uncover the formation mechanism of the recent bright slope deposits associated with gullies (BGDs) observed on Mars in order to assess the viability of liquid water involvement. We use a high resolution topography model generated from a stereo pair of images acquired by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as input into a kinematic model and a flow model to assess whether or not a dry granular flow could form the recent BGDs seen in Hale Crater. There are no high-resolution images of the gullies with BGDs before the BGDs formed, but the BGDs have no resolvable modification and, therefore, are presumably recent. For the kinematic modeling of dry granular flows, we examine a range of particle sizes, flow thicknesses, and upslope initiation points to examine how these parameters affect the run-out distances. The results show that multiple combinations of realistic parameters could produce dry flows that travel to within the observed deposits" boundaries. The kinematic modeling provides a yield stress and an event- averaged viscosity for input into the flow model, FLO-2D (FLO Engineering, Inc., 2006. FLO-2D User Manual, Version 2006.1. Nutrioso, Arizona), which solves the dynamic wave momentum equation. We run FLO-2D to model both wet and dry flows and find that either could have formed the recent BGDs. We vary the inflow volume, inflow location, discharge rate, water loss rate, Manning roughness, and simulation time and examine the resulting maximum flow depths and velocities. Given the difficulty of producing liquid water on the martian surface under present-day pressure and temperature conditions, our results suggest that the recent BGDs are not convincing evidence of recent liquid water on the surface of Mars.
Kolb Kelly Jean
McEwen Alfred S.
Pelletier Jon D.
Science Team H.
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