Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p41b1272t&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P41B-1272
Physics
5415 Erosion And Weathering, 6225 Mars
Scientific paper
Abrasion studies contribute to an overall understanding of the geology of Martian landing sites in that they 1) provide an understanding of the nature and strength of erosive processes, 2) provide insight into present and paleo-atmospheric conditions, in particular past atmospheric densities which may have fluctuated with orbital variations, and 3) contribute to our understanding of how Martian surfaces evolve over time. This contribution reports on efforts to map the position and orientation of ventifacts at the MER Spirit landing site in Gusev Crater. This work utilizes a previously compiled catalog of ventifact features [Stone et al., 2006]. The catalog has been updated to include a qualitative indicator of the utility of the ventifacts identified as directional indicators. Stereo ranging software is used to derive the positional information of suitable rock abrasion textures, which include elongate pits, groves, and linear to sub-linear scour marks. These coordinates are transformed from local rover-frame into a Mars-body coordinate frame and then plotted along the rover traverse in a GIS. In addition to assessing the specific orientations of ventifacts along the rover traverse, this study investigates potential correlations between local topography and rock abrasion features. This includes both small- and large-scale topographic effects. Small-scale effects of interest include the localization of abrasion features on rocks and particular rock facets around small topographic obstacles (e.g., crater rims, dips, and saddles); larger-scale effects include regional scale topographic constrictions and the acceleration of wind flow up hills. References: Stone, A. S., N. T. Bridges, B. J. Thomson (2006) A catalog of rock abrasion features at the MER landing sites, LPSC, 37, abstract 2080.
Bridges Nathan T.
Thomson Bradley J.
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