Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars

from the analysis of valley network structure

Akos Kereszturi, PHDCollegium Budapest

Eotvos Lorand University of SciencesHungarian Astronomical Association

e-mail: kru@mcse.hu

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Contents

• Methods to analyze role of water on Mars• My research on fluvial systems• Proposed system for water-related environment reconstruction:

possibility for synthesis between surface morphology and meteoritic studies

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Targets to analyze the presence/role of water on Mars:

Surface mineralogy (orbital spectroscopy):• phyllosilicates• sulphates• hematite…

Surface morphology (orbital images and topographyc data):• channels• lakes, deltas• melted and collapsed terrains• gullies

Subsurface mineralogy (Maritan meteorites):• H2O content during magma crystallization• later alterations

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Research on ancient fluvial systems (channels and valleys)

Aims:• get information on

• source of water• quantity of water• duration of wet period• style of erosion

• implication to the paleoenvironment

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Possible errors: • manual pointing accuracy• different coordinate systems• trigonometric computations• locations of MOLA tracks• errors: linear distances<10%• topography<20%• aim: statistical analysis

Working methods

Data:• images: VO, MGS, MEX• topography: MGS PEDR, MEX DTM• mapped databases: MDIM, MEGDR• reference: IAU2000 areoid

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Results:

Correlations were analyzed (and several times found) between:• width and depth• slope shape and other parameters• shape of longitudinal profiles• meanders and paleodischarge values• eroded and accumulated volume of material• locations of sedimentary plains

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Results:

• 5 groups of channels • with morphological, morphometrical differences• with probably different water sources and duration of activity• partly mentioned in literature, but few numerical values before

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

These groups may have formed under different environments types. Some preliminary results:• source of water: 1. areal, 2.-5. local• relative duration of activity:

• longitudinal profile shape• scatter between slope parameters• volume of sediments + paleodischarge values

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Where is it interesting for scientists working on meteoritics?

• problems with the reconstruction of water-related changes/weathering on Mars• small data • mostly for individual targets (few valley data detailed enough, few Martian meteorites in hand)• source of data is scattered in space (from different locations) and time (from different periods of the Martian evolution)

Possible solution:• connect different type of data• water related surface morphology + meteorite mineralogy• for rough caracterisation of wet environment types (p, T, duration etc.)

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

First aims:• Eliminate the environment type from numerical parameters• Classify the environment types

Example:• duration• temperatureof liquid phase

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi

Aim:Morphology (surface water)

+Mineralogy (subsurface water)

How can these be fused? Nobody knows yet…

Cooperation and ideasare welcomed!

Distribution and occurrence of liquid water on Mars from the analysis of valley network structure. NIPR Conference 2007.06.06. Tokyo, Akos Kereszturi