Active Boulder Falls in Terra Sirenum, Mars: Constraints on Timing and Causes
Grindrod, Peter M.; Davis, Joel M.; Conway, Susan J.; de Haas, Tjalling
(2021) Geophysical Research Letters, volume 48, issue 20, pp. 1 - 9
(Article)
Abstract
We use time series images to identify significant active boulder falls in an impact crater on Mars. Evidence for active boulder falls include boulder trails with impact marks from bouncing and rolling, and dark patches from boulder impacts away from the base of the crater walls. We were able to
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define three time periods with active boulder falls and additional slope streak formation, for which we refined the most significant activity to a time period between January 2012 and March 2013. A search of 236 images within 500 km of the study site identified two further sites with similar, but reduced, activity during the same time period. We discuss plausible mechanisms for the boulder fall activity, and conclude that the local geology and crater age is likely to be of significant importance. Our method of identifying and highlighting such activity will allow further studies of active surface processes on Mars.
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Keywords: active, boulder fall, Mars, Geophysics, Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
ISSN: 0094-8276
Publisher: Wiley Online Library
Note: Funding Information: Peter M. Grindrod and Joel M. Davis acknowledge support from the UK Space Agency (grants ST/R002355/1, ST/V002678/1). Susan J. Conway acknowledges support from CNES. CaSSIS is a project of the University of Bern and funded through the Swiss Space Office via ESA's PRODEX programme. The instrument hardware development was also supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) via the ASI-INAF agreement no. 2020-17-HH.0, the INAF/Astronomical Observatory of Padova, and the Space Research Center (CBK) in Warsaw. Support from SGF (Budapest), the University of Arizona (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory) and NASA are also gratefully acknowledged. Operations support from Charlotte Marriner, funded by the UK Space Agency (grants ST/R003025/1, ST/V002295/1) is also recognized. The authors thank two anonymous reviewers, and editor Andrew Dombard, for insightful comments. Funding Information: Peter M. Grindrod and Joel M. Davis acknowledge support from the UK Space Agency (grants ST/R002355/1, ST/V002678/1). Susan J. Conway acknowledges support from CNES. CaSSIS is a project of the University of Bern and funded through the Swiss Space Office via ESA's PRODEX programme. The instrument hardware development was also supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) via the ASI‐INAF agreement no. 2020‐17‐HH.0, the INAF/Astronomical Observatory of Padova, and the Space Research Center (CBK) in Warsaw. Support from SGF (Budapest), the University of Arizona (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory) and NASA are also gratefully acknowledged. Operations support from Charlotte Marriner, funded by the UK Space Agency (grants ST/R003025/1, ST/V002295/1) is also recognized. The authors thank two anonymous reviewers, and editor Andrew Dombard, for insightful comments. Publisher Copyright: © 2021. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
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