The surface of Mars: Morphology and process

The goal of this work is a quantitative description of the morphology of the surface of Mars, in order to constrain the nature of processes acting during the ancient past through today. Emphasis is placed on linking geometric properties to physical mechanisms. Surface smoothness on Mars is distinctive in the vast northern hemisphere plains. Amazonis Planitia is remarkable in its smoothness, exhibiting an rms variation in topography of <2 m over a 100-km baseline, that is most comparable to planetary surfaces that are depositional in origin. The region of concentrated hematite mineralization in Sinus Meridiani is also relatively smooth, but neither region forms a closed basin. Mars' slope distribution is longer tailed than those of Earth and Venus, indicating a lower efficiency of planation processes relative to relief-building tectonics and volcanics. The shallower long-wavelength portion of the lowlands' topographic power spectrum relative to the highlands' can be accounted for by a simple model of sedimentation such as might be expected at an ocean's floor, but the addition of another process such as cratering is necessary to explain the spectral slope in short wavelengths. Large drainage systems on Mars have geomorphic characteristics that are inconsistent with prolonged erosion by surface runoff. We find the topography has not evolved to an expected equilibrium terrain form, even in areas where runoff incision has been previously interpreted. We demonstrate that features known as slope streaks form exclusively in regions of low thermal inertia, steep slopes, and incredibly, only where daily peak temperatures exceed 275 K during the martian year. The results suggest that at least small amounts of water may be currently present and undergo phase transitions. We detect subtle changes of the polar surface height during the course of seasonal cycles. Using altimetric crossover residuals, we show that while zonally averaged data captures the global behavior of CO ₂ exchange, there is a strong dependence of the pattern on longitude. Decomposition of the signal into harmonics in time shows the amplitudes are correlated with the polar cap deposits. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)