Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Science
Related: About this forumAncient Caverns on Mars May Have Captured Floodwaters
http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/5195/ancient-caverns-on-mars-may-have-captured-floodwaters
Ancient Caverns on Mars May Have Captured Floodwaters
Source: Planetary Science Institute press release
An international research team led by the Planetary Science Institute has found evidence that indicates that approximately 2 billion years ago enormous volumes of catastrophic flood discharges may have been captured by extensive systems of caverns on Mars, said PSI research scientist J. Alexis Palmero Rodriguez.
Rodriguez and the research team came to this conclusion after studying the terminal regions of the Hebrus Valles, an outflow channel that extends approximately 250 kilometers downstream from two zones of surface collapse.
The Martian outflow channels comprise some of the largest known channels in the solar system. Although it has been proposed their discharge history may have once led to the formation of oceans, the ultimate fate and nature of the fluid discharges has remained a mystery for more than 40 years, and their excavation has been attributed to surface erosion by glaciers, debris flows, catastrophic floodwaters, and perhaps even lava flows, Rodriguez said.
The PSI-led teams work documents the geomorphology of Hebrus Valles, a Martian terrain that is unique in that it preserves pristine landforms located at the terminal reaches of a Martian outflow channel. These generally appear highly resurfaced, or buried, at other locations in the planet. Rodriguez and his co-authors propose in an article titled Infiltration of Martian overflow channel floodwaters into lowland cavernous systems published in Geophysical Research Letters [http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2012/2012GL053225.shtml] that large volumes of catastrophic floodwaters, which participated in the excavation of Hebrus Valles, may have encountered their ultimate fate in vast cavernous systems.
<snip>
This is a close-up of the region marked (B) from the image shown above. The feature marked (1) is a pendant bar located along a zone of knickpoint retreat, indicating transition of flow from the surface to subsurface. The feature marked (2) is a site of proposed cavern roof collapse and pit (sinkhole) formation. Credit: Rodriguez et al., 2012
Ancient Caverns on Mars May Have Captured Floodwaters
Source: Planetary Science Institute press release
Posted: 12/08/12
Summary: Researchers have found evidence that water from catastrophic flood discharges 2 billion years ago may have been captured by extensive cavern systems on Mars. The findings could have implications in understanding the potential for life on ancient Mars.
Summary: Researchers have found evidence that water from catastrophic flood discharges 2 billion years ago may have been captured by extensive cavern systems on Mars. The findings could have implications in understanding the potential for life on ancient Mars.
An international research team led by the Planetary Science Institute has found evidence that indicates that approximately 2 billion years ago enormous volumes of catastrophic flood discharges may have been captured by extensive systems of caverns on Mars, said PSI research scientist J. Alexis Palmero Rodriguez.
Rodriguez and the research team came to this conclusion after studying the terminal regions of the Hebrus Valles, an outflow channel that extends approximately 250 kilometers downstream from two zones of surface collapse.
The Martian outflow channels comprise some of the largest known channels in the solar system. Although it has been proposed their discharge history may have once led to the formation of oceans, the ultimate fate and nature of the fluid discharges has remained a mystery for more than 40 years, and their excavation has been attributed to surface erosion by glaciers, debris flows, catastrophic floodwaters, and perhaps even lava flows, Rodriguez said.
The PSI-led teams work documents the geomorphology of Hebrus Valles, a Martian terrain that is unique in that it preserves pristine landforms located at the terminal reaches of a Martian outflow channel. These generally appear highly resurfaced, or buried, at other locations in the planet. Rodriguez and his co-authors propose in an article titled Infiltration of Martian overflow channel floodwaters into lowland cavernous systems published in Geophysical Research Letters [http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2012/2012GL053225.shtml] that large volumes of catastrophic floodwaters, which participated in the excavation of Hebrus Valles, may have encountered their ultimate fate in vast cavernous systems.
<snip>
This is a close-up of the region marked (B) from the image shown above. The feature marked (1) is a pendant bar located along a zone of knickpoint retreat, indicating transition of flow from the surface to subsurface. The feature marked (2) is a site of proposed cavern roof collapse and pit (sinkhole) formation. Credit: Rodriguez et al., 2012
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 1146 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (4)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Ancient Caverns on Mars May Have Captured Floodwaters (Original Post)
bananas
Dec 2012
OP
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)1. Very cool!
progressoid
(50,000 posts)2. Time for some interplanetary spelunking!