The Work of the Martian Winds
Ever considering that Mars lost its water, the gentle force of wind erosion altered the Mars surface area and affected its geology. Thats the conclusion of a group of planetary researchers led by astronaut and planetary researcher Jessica Watkins and Caltech teacher John Grotzinger. Watkins worked as a post-doc with Grotzinger and is the very first author of a paper describing their groups work. (As it turns out, she reviewed the last version of the paper during her time on the International Space Station.).
” This paper describes the discovery of an unconformity in a sequence of sedimentary rocks on Mars,” she said, describing a discontinuity or break in the time of deposition between series of rocks. “In this case, it separates the rocks which tape-record a time in which a lake existed at Gale crater and an overlying series of rocks which record a time when the environment was much drier resulting in the development of eolian sand dunes. The unconformity is substantial because it tape-records not only the transition between ecological routines, but likewise substantial disintegration of the older (lacustrine, or lake) rocks before the younger (eolian, or wind-driven) rocks were transferred.”.
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On Earth, we all understand what changes our landscapes: water and wind erosion, tectonic activity, and volcanism. Today on Mars, wind-driven disintegration is hard at work.
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Watkins started studying landforms and processes here on Earth as a way to understand the very same events on Mars. “Mars is Earth-like in numerous ways,” she said. “I found it interesting that we could study Earth processes and landforms to better comprehend those observed on Mars (and vice versa!).” Her work on the aeolian (wind-driven) processes on Mars led to a closer assessment of Curiositys findings.
A Look at the Martian Rock Cycle.
Grotzinger was the job scientist for the Curiosity objective. That rover is still supplying first-hand evidence that the geology on Mars is very different from that on Earth. “The work of disintegration on Mars is driven mainly by the wind which acts like a plume duster over numerous millions to even billions of years,” said Grotzinger. “This is very different from Earth, for circumstances, where the extreme durability of the San Gabriel mountains is developed by gushes of rainwater dissecting the landscape over reasonably quick durations of geologic time.”.
While one objective of Mars objectives is to “discover the water”, understanding the rock cycle is simply as important. Planetary scientists ask, how did the Mars rock layers form? How do they change? What destroys them? In the world, molten rock streams from volcanic functions to create igneous layers. It gets deteriorated by wind and rain and transferred as sedimentary rock. Water action is a huge player here, along with wind-driven deposits of sand and rock.
Tectonic activity from below presses layers of rock up (or drops them). Erosion takes over and moves pieces of rock around.
Mars doesnt have that type of activity nowadays. Of course, it when had active volcanoes, slathering the land with lava. You just need to take a look at the Tharsis Bulge to see how the buildup of lava influenced that area. And, we all understand that Mars had water. Theres proof for that throughout the planet. There are no tectonic plates to move and slip around causing Marsquakes and surface-altering episodes. Without flowing water triggering erosion over the past few billion years, what else alters the Martian landscape? The response seems to be: wind erosion.
Clues from the Wind.
Now, you may believe that theres not enough atmospheric pressure or volume on Mars to cause gale-force erosional winds. The influence of wind disintegration, is there. They studied Curiositys observations in Gale Crater for clues.
This image, taken with the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) electronic camera, reveals unique bands of rotating tone and brightness within the “Murray Formation” on Mars. Outcrops like this prevail throughout the development, although the origin of the banding is unknown. These bands might represent aqueous processes that took place either during or after the sediments of the Murray Formation were deposited. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Windstorm Crater is a 60-kilometer-diameter dry lakebed on Mars. Some of the leading layers are relatively immune to wind erosion. As they moved, they deposited layers of sand, all driven by the action of the wind.
” Gale Crater is an amazing place where youre able to document several cycles of disintegration,” Grotzinger said. “All of this helps us comprehend how Mars works total and will inform researchers translating the observations of the Perseverance rover also.”.
Wind Erosion, Sedimentary Rocks, and Life.
It appears that wind erosion– even the mild design we see on Mars, can make huge changes on the surface area there. Where water exposes layers of rock on Earth, the wind does it on Mars.
In the world, wind-driven disintegration and deposition of sand and rock particles preserved examples of our primordial biosphere. If the exact same thing happened to any possible early Mars life, then wind-drive sedimentary rocks on the Red Planet could show to be a treasury of Martian biosignatures.
“I think its going to be really illuminating for us and hopefully provide us some insight into the habitability of Mars and ideally discover indications of ancient life. These delta deposits will be the ideal location that, if there are those signs there, thats where theyll be.”.
For more details.
Wind Drives Geology on Mars These DaysBurial and Exhumation of Sedimentary Rocks Revealed by the Base Stimson Erosional Unconformity, Gale Crater, Mars.
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Ever since Mars lost its water, the gentle force of wind disintegration changed the Mars surface area and affected its geology. “The work of disintegration on Mars is driven principally by the wind which acts like a feather duster over hundreds of millions to even billions of years,” stated Grotzinger. Now, you may think that theres not sufficient atmospheric pressure or volume on Mars to cause gale-force erosional winds. It seems that wind erosion– even the gentle design we see on Mars, can make huge changes on the surface area there. Where water reveals layers of rock on Earth, the wind does it on Mars.