High albedo dune features suggest past dune migration and possible geochemical cementation of aeolian sediments on Mars

► Evidence of Martian dunes migration. ► Geochemical induration of dune material. ► Probably liquid water in recent past in Martian dunes. High albedo features are identified in association with barchan dunes in an equatorial inter-crater dune field on Mars using images from the MRO mission. This pa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962) N.Y. 1962), 2011-04, Vol.212 (2), p.590-596
Main Authors: Gardin, Emilie, Bourke, Mary C., Allemand, Pascal, Quantin, Cathy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Geological processes
Mars
Mars, Surface
Sciences of the Universe
Solar system
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:► Evidence of Martian dunes migration. ► Geochemical induration of dune material. ► Probably liquid water in recent past in Martian dunes. High albedo features are identified in association with barchan dunes in an equatorial inter-crater dune field on Mars using images from the MRO mission. This paper describes the morphometric properties of these features and their association with the present barchan dune field. We propose that these features are cemented aeolian deposits that form at the foot of the dune avalanche face. A possible terrestrial analog exists at White Sands National Monument, in south-central New Mexico, USA. The presence of these features suggests past episodes of dune migration in inter-crater dunefields and liquid water in the near sub-surface in sufficient quantity to cause the cementation of aeolian dune sediment.
ISSN:0019-1035
1090-2643
DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.01.005