Recent rheologic processes on dark polar dunes of Mars: Driven by interfacial water?

A. Null Kereszturi , D. Möhlmann , Sz. Berczi , T. Ganti , A. Kuti , A. Sik , A. Horvath

In springtime on HiRISE images of the Southern polar terrain of Mars flow-like or rheologic features were observed. Their dark color is interpreted as partly defrosted surface where the temperature is too high for CO but low enough for HO ice to be present there. These branching stripes grow in size and can move by an average velocity of up to about 1 m/day and could terminate in pond-like accumulation features. The phenomenon may be the result of interfacial water driven rheologic processes.

Mots clés: Mars; Ices; Water

A. Null Kereszturi, D. Möhlmann, Sz. Berczi, T. Ganti, A. Kuti, et al.. Recent rheologic processes on dark polar dunes of Mars: Driven by interfacial water?. Icarus, 2009, 201 (2), pp.492. ⟨10.1016/j.icarus.2009.01.014⟩. ⟨hal-00533499⟩