MDRS EXPEDITION GUIDEplanetologia.elte.hu/mdrs-geo-low.pdf · MDRS EXPEDITION GUIDE Geography final...
Transcript of MDRS EXPEDITION GUIDEplanetologia.elte.hu/mdrs-geo-low.pdf · MDRS EXPEDITION GUIDE Geography final...
Geography Final Report of MDRS Crew 42 and 71 (HungaroMars2008) edited by Henrik Hargitai
MDRSEXPEDITION
GUIDE
uunnooffffiicciiaall
MDR S EXPEDITION GUIDE Geography final Report of crew 42 (2006) and crew 71 (“HungaroMars2008”)
Edited by Henrik i. Hargitaimdrs crew 42 Mission Geographermdrs crew 71 commander cosmic Materials Space Research Group, Eötvös loránd university, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/a, [email protected]
MDRSEXPEDITION
GUIDE
Edited by Henrik Hargitai
Published by the cosmic Materials Space Research Group, Eötvös loránd university; Budapest–MDRS, 2008
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Cactu
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Lowell Highw
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Sagan Street
Unnam
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Sch
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Hubble Highway
Old
Cop
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Hw
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New Copernicus Hwy
Brahe Highway
Henry Street
Radio
Ri d
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Cactus R
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Chapman Way
Dea
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Ptolemy H
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Lith Canyon Road
Skyline Repeater Access Foot Trail
Rad
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Lith canyon foot
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Cop
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Lowell
Highw
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Lowell H
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Low
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Lowell Highway
Hubble Highw
ay
Hubble H
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§̈¦24
Ham Hillock
Rope Rescue
Blind Corner
Collapsed Road
Impassable Wash
HIPPO
PIMPLE
AREA 42
MIRRORS
ONO RIDGE
FLAG HILL
BOX CANYON
ARSIA MONS
LADY DUNES
MHS VALLEY
MINE FIELD
SPRING HILL
VALLES LUNA
LUNA MONTES
FOSSIL ROCK
BABY DRAGON
POINTY PEAK
COUGAR HILL
LITH CANYON
EDDIE'S HILL
SANDI'S HILL
PAVONIS MONS
OLYMPUS MONS
HARRIS HILLS
ERICA'S HILL
TOOTHY RIDGE
SHEEP KNOLLS
T-REX CANYON
TURTLE HILLS
FIRE HYDRANT
ROLF'S RIDGE
GREEN VALLEY
PHOBOS PHOOT
HEIDI'S HILL
PHOBOS FLANK
FAMILY CREST
MB'S MOUNTAIN
ASCRAEUS MONS
ESZTER'S HILL
BECKY'S RIDGE
REBECCA RIDGEMOUNT NUTELLA
POTHOLE FIELD
BOULDER FIELD
MOUNT SAGEWOOD
THIELGES FLATS
MAXWELL MONTES
SNOSHTI CANYON
BURGENER RIDGEPAUL'S SANDBOX
BARBARA'S HILL
DAISY AND DUKE
STRIPED DRAGON
CAMEL TOE DRAW
FLAT ROCK PARK
MARLIS' MEADOW
CLARA'S CANYON
SERENITY VALLEY
UTOPIA PLANITIA
ANNE'S MOUNTAIN
MURPHY'S CANYON
MUDSTONE MOUNDS
HUBBLE PLANITIA
SHANNON'S RANGE
HILDEGARD HILLS
SLEEPING IGUANA
COLLAPSING WALL
SANJEROONI BUTTE
VALLES MARINERIS
HELIUM HIGHLANDS
HALF CLICK RIDGE
HALF PIPE CANYON
WINDCATCHER HILL
SALTY BLACK HILLS
SCHUBERT PLANITIA
SALTY BLACK HILLS
SALTY BEIGE HILLS
RED WALLED CANYON
SMALL VISTA BUTTE
WHITE ROCK CANYON
MID RIDGE PLANITIA
WHITE TOP MOUNTAIN
PATHFINDER OUTWASH
BOULDERDASH CANYON
STIPED DRAGON NORTH
NEAT LITTLE PLATEAU
MOUND TRICOLOR SOIL
HUBBLE CANYON 01 PAN
HUBBLE PLANITIA 01 PAN
AMBER AND ANDREWS PLAYGROUN
MORGAN AND LILI'S PLAYGROUN
Anvil
Archie
Scylla
Orthanc
Cow Gate
Ant Ares
Overhang
Y Ravine
Salt Lick
47 Onions
Dune Pass
Gecko Bay
Tree Gate
Deer View
Charybdis
Wind Face
Brand Bend
Husar Pass
Beehive 24
Stonehenge
The Pillar
Clara Pass
Funny Face
Thayer Joch
Cattle Cove
Canton Cave
Robbi's Bed
Chluda Pass
COWgirl RISe
Thoar Tirala
Goose Glouch
Kabo's Kliff
Hundred Ants
Hutti's Dream
Judith's Cave
Byron's Ridge
Piece of Cake
Picknick Area
Clara's Cliff
Sunday Pointe
Zubrin's Head
Wash Dead End
Schubert Pass
Kap AustroMars
Repeater Point
Shortcut South
River Crossing
Dimitri Corner
Faux Dinosaurs
CommanDeR's LOG
Kap Austro Mars
AustroMars GateAustroMars Gate
Big Daddy Point
Telegraph Point
Andrea's Quarry
Brussels Sprout
Hubert's Heaven
Gargoyle Gallery
Blue Devils Pass
UFO Landing Site
Bin Laden's Cave
Blecken's Boulder
Balloon Launch Pad
Skyline Rim Repeater
CoPernicus North Fence
Kyle's Reflection Rock
Large Sandstone Rock Fall
Reservoir Water Sample Park
Candor Chasma Access Parkin
Phobos PeakNadia's Peak
Widow's Peak
Beehive Peak
Edilweiss Peak
Patricia's Peak
SKYLINE RIM
RADIO RIDGE
RADIO RANGE
CANDOR CHASMA
Tech T
Dead End
Route 66
Rest Stop
Onion Tea
Oyster Turn
New Route 66
Cactus Corner
Four Way Stop
Clara's Corner
Highway Turnoff
Jennifer Junction
Sagan Street Start
Laura's Turnaround
Cow Dung Road Exit
Conjunction Junction
HAB
HabView
Zecie's Vista
Toast Lookout
Panorama Point
Andreas Buena Vista
Sun Rock
Spice Field
Oyster Field
Olivia's Rock
Fossil Shells
Oyster Shells
Ignious Field
Paul's Sandpit
Carina's Quarry
Glistening Seas
Mellow Mushrooms
Barsoom Outcrops
Huge Fossil Field Sedimentary Outcrop
C52S2 - Mancos Shale
C52S1 - Chert hypoliths
Motherload of Concretions
Calcite And Hematite Concre
514000
514000
514500
514500
515000
515000
515500
515500
516000
516000
516500
516500
517000
517000
517500
517500
518000
518000
518500
518500
519000
519000
519500
519500
520000
520000
520500
520500
521000
521000
521500
521500
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522000
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522500
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0 740 1 480370 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 000NOTE: This map is NOT valid after April 2008. For up-to-date nomenclature and waypoint information, consult the MDRS website.
iinnDDEEXX MMaaPP
13
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12
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2 3
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Lowell H
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Low
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Collapsed Road
AREA 42
FLAG HILL
COUGAR HILL
OLYMPUS MONS
ERICA'S HILL
TURTLE HILLS
FIRE HYDRANT
PHOBOS PHOOT
PHOBOS FLANK
ESZTER'S HILL
BECKY'S RIDGE
POTHOLE FIELD
BOULDER FIELD
THIELGES FLATS
BARBARA'S HILL
STRIPED DRAGON
SHANNON'S RANGE
HILDEGARD HILLS
WINDCATCHER HILL
STIPED DRAGON NORTH
MOUND TRICOLOR SOIL
MORGAN AND LILI'S PLAYGROUN
CSONGOR AND LUCA'S PLAYGROU
Ant Ares
Dune Pass
Stonehenge
Clara Pass
Hundred Ants
Picknick Area
Gargoyle Gallery
Blue Devils Pass
Balloon Launch Pad
Kyle's Reflection Rock
Phobos Peak
Sagan Street Start
Cow Dung Road Exit
HAB
HabView
Mellow Mushrooms
518100
518100
518200
518200
518300
518300
518400
518400
518500
518500
518600
518600
518700
518700
518800
518800
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
4249
900
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000
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000
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0 100 20050 meter1:7 000
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Low
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PIMPLE
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LADY DUNES
BABY DRAGON
COUGAR HILL
ERICA'S HILL
TURTLE HILLS
FIRE HYDRANT
PHOBOS PHOOT
ESZTER'S HILL
BECKY'S RIDGE
POTHOLE FIELD
BOULDER FIELD
THIELGES FLATS
BARBARA'S HILL
STRIPED DRAGON
CAMEL TOE DRAW
SHANNON'S RANGE
HILDEGARD HILLS
SLEEPING IGUANA
COLLAPSING WALL
WINDCATCHER HILL
STIPED DRAGON NORTH
MOUND TRICOLOR SOIL
MORGAN AND LILI'S PLAYGROUN
Ant Ares
Dune Pass
Stonehenge
Clara Pass
COWgirl RISe
Piece of Cake
Picknick Area
Sunday Pointe
Repeater Point
Gargoyle Gallery
Blue Devils PassBalloon Launch Pad
Kyle's Reflection Rock
Phobos Peak
RADIO RIDGE
Sagan Street Start
Cow Dung Road Exit
HAB
HabView
Fossil Shells
Mellow Mushrooms
Motherload of Concretions
Calcite And Hematite Concre
517700
517700
517800
517800
517900
517900
518000
518000
518100
518100
518200
518200
518300
518300
518400
518400
518500
518500
518600
518600
518700
518700
518800
518800
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
519500
519500
4249
2004249
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40042
4950
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6004249
700 4249
8004249
900 4250
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5040
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6004250
700 4250
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900 4251
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400
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 0009 108 1 3
511.. TTHHEE HHaaBB
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Lo
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Cactus R
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Unnam
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Low
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AREA 42
ARSIA MONS
MHS VALLEY
PAVONIS MONS
ERICA'S HILL
PHOBOS PHOOT PHOBOS FLANK
ASCRAEUS MONS
ESZTER'S HILL
BECKY'S RIDGE
REBECCA RIDGEMOUNT NUTELLA
BOULDER FIELD
MOUNT SAGEWOODBARBARA'S HILL
FLAT ROCK PARK
VALLES MARINERIS
MOUND TRICOLOR SOILAnt Ares
Dune Pass
Tree Gate
Stonehenge
Goose Glouch
Kabo's Kliff
Big Daddy Point
Hubert's Heaven
Gargoyle Gallery
Blue Devils Pass
Kyle's Reflection Rock
Candor Chasma Access Parkin
Phobos PeakNadia's Peak
HabView
Ignious Field
Mellow Mushrooms
518700
518700
518800
518800
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
519500
519500
519600
519600
519700
519700
519800
519800
519900
519900
520000
520000
520100
520100
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520200
520300
520300
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0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00010
2 31 5
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VALLES MARINERIS
ArchieGecko Bay
Tree Gate
Goose Glouch
Kabo's Kliff
Big Daddy Point
Hubert's Heaven
Candor Chasma Access Parkin
Nadia's Peak
CANDOR CHASMA
Rest StopToast Lookout
Spice FieldIgnious Field
519600
519600
519700
519700
519800
519800
519900
519900
520000
520000
520100
520100
520200
520200
520300
520300
520400
520400
520500
520500
520600
520600
520700
520700
520800
520800
520900
520900
521000
521000
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521100
521200
521200
521300
521300
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0004252
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0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00010 41 35 6
33.. EEaaSSTT ffRRooMM TTHHEE HHaaBB
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Cactu
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Cactus R
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EDDIE'S HILL
SANDI'S HILL
MAXWELL MONTES
UTOPIA PLANITIA
ANNE'S MOUNTAIN
AMBER AND ANDREWS PLAYGROUN
520600
520600
520700
520700
520800
520800
520900
520900
521000
521000
521100
521100
521200
521200
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521400
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521500
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522000
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522300
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6004252
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4004254
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0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00042 3
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Funny Face
COWgirl RISe
Piece of Cake
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Oyster Turn
518200
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518300
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518400
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518500
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4248
900
4249
100
4249
100
4249
300
4249
300
4249
500
4249
500
4249
700
4249
700
4249
900
4249
900
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 0001 1 3
56
55.. SSoouuTTHH ffRRooMM TTHHEE HHaaBB
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Lowell Highway
Unnam
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Lowell H
ig
hway
Blind Corner
WHITE ROCK CANYON
Scylla
Cow Gate
Charybdis
Wind FaceZubrin's Head
Oyster Turn
Highway Turnoff
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
519500
519500
519600
519600
519700
519700
519800
519800
519900
519900
520000
520000
520100
520100
520200
520200
520300
520300
520400
520400
520500
520500
520600
520600
520700
520700 4246
6004246
700 4246
8004246
900 4247
0004247
100 42
4720
04247
300 4247
4004247
500 4247
6004247
700 4247
8004247
900 4248
00042
4810
0 4248
2004248
300 4248
4004248
500 4248
6004248
700 4248
8004248
900
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 0005 5 35 6 66.. ffaaRR SSoouuTTHH,, TTHHEE RRooaaDD
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Sagan Street
Cop
ern
icus
Hig
hw
ay
Skyline Repeater Access Foot Trail
Coper
nic
us
Hi g
hw
ay
Sagan Street
Copernicus Highway
ROLF'S RIDGE
MARLIS' MEADOW
MID RIDGE PLANITIA
Deer View
Thayer Joch
Thoar Tirala
Clara's Cliff
Kap AustroMars
Kap Austro Mars
Skyline Rim Repeater
Edilweiss Peak
Patricia's Peak
Cactus Corner
Four Way Stop
Clara's Corner
Andreas Buena Vista
514800
514800
514900
514900
515000
515000
515100
515100
515200
515200
515300
515300
515400
515400
515500
515500
515600
515600
515700
515700
515800
515800
515900
515900
516000
516000
516100
516100
516200
516200
516300
516300
516400
516400
516500
516500
4250
500
4250
500
4250
700
4250
700
4250
900
4250
900
4251
100
4251
100
4251
300
4251
300
4251
500
4251
500
4251
700
4251
700
4251
900
4251
900
4252
100
4252
100
4252
300
4252
300
4252
500
4252
500
4252
700
4252
700
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00013 97 8 77.. SSKKYYlliinnEE RRiiMM,, ffaaRR WWEESSTT
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Sagan Street
Sch
iapare
lli H
ighw
ay
Sagan Street
Sch
iapare
lli H
ighw
ay
MID RIDGE PLANITIA
Sunday Pointe
Schubert Pass
Fossil Shells
516100
516100
516200
516200
516300
516300
516400
516400
516500
516500
516600
516600
516700
516700
516800
516800
516900
516900
517000
517000
517100
517100
517200
517200
517300
517300
517400
517400
517500
517500
517600
517600
517700
517700
517800
517800
517900
517900
4250
600
4250
600
4250
800
4250
800
4251
000
4251
000
4251
200
4251
200
4251
400
4251
400
4251
600
4251
600
4251
800
4251
800
4252
000
4252
000
4252
200
4252
200
4252
400
4252
400
4252
600
4252
600
4252
800
4252
800
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00013 9 117 8 10
188.. WWaaYY TToo SSKKYYlliinnEE RRiiMM
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Brahe Highway
Sch
iap
arelli Highw
ay
Cope
rnicus
High
way
Brahe Highway
Schiaparelli H
ighw
ay
LUNA MONTES
SHEEP KNOLLS
SALTY BEIGE HILLS
RED WALLED CANYON
Salt Lick
Chluda Pass
Wash Dead End
Dimitri Corner
UFO Landing Site
Widow's PeakTech T
Jennifer JunctionPanorama Point
Oyster Field
Carina's Quarry
Huge Fossil Field
516100
516100
516200
516200
516300
516300
516400
516400
516500
516500
516600
516600
516700
516700
516800
516800
516900
516900
517000
517000
517100
517100
517200
517200
517300
517300
517400
517400
517500
517500
517600
517600
517700
517700
517800
517800 4252
40042
5250
0 4252
6004252
700 4252
8004252
900 4253
0004253
100 4253
2004253
300 42
5340
04253
500 4253
6004253
700 4253
8004253
900 4254
0004254
100 4254
20042
5430
0 4254
4004254
500 4254
6004254
700
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00014 11
13 9 117 8 10
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noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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RESERVOIR
Lowell H
ighw
ay
Cact us Road
Rad
io R
idg
e Road N
Chapman Way
Sag an S
treet
Lowell Highway
Low
ell Highway
Low
ell H
ighway
Ham Hillock
Collapsed Road
Impassable Wash
ARSIA MONS
PAVONIS MONS
OLYMPUS MONS
HARRIS HILLS
HEIDI'S HILL
ASCRAEUS MONS
REBECCA RIDGE
MOUNT NUTELLA
SCHUBERT PLANITIA
PATHFINDER OUTWASH
Sunday Pointe
Repeater Point
Shortcut South
Reservoir Water Sample Park
Sagan Street Start
Sedimentary Outcrop
517700
517700
517800
517800
517900
517900
518000
518000
518100
518100
518200
518200
518300
518300
518400
518400
518500
518500
518600
518600
518700
518700
518800
518800
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
4251
3004251
400 4251
5004251
600 4251
7004251
800 4251
9004252
000 42
5210
04252
200 4252
3004252
400 4252
5004252
600 4252
7004252
800 4252
9004253
000 42
5310
04253
200 4253
3004253
400 4253
500
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 0009 118 10 2
1 21100.. nnooRRTTHH ffRRooMM TTHHEE HHaaBB
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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ighw
ay
Brahe Highway
Dea
d En
d Roa
d
Sch
iaparelli H
ighway
Ptolemy H
ighway
Lowell H
ighway
Lowell Highway
Brahe HighwayDea
d En
d Roa
d
Sch
iapa
relli H
ighw
ay
SHEEP KNOLLS
HEIDI'S HILL
RED WALLED CANYON
SMALL VISTA BUTTE
Overhang
Salt Lick
Chluda Pass
Dimitri Corner
UFO Landing Site
Tech T
Onion Tea
Jennifer JunctionPanorama Point
Oyster Field
Carina's Quarry
Glistening Seas
516700
516700
516800
516800
516900
516900
517000
517000
517100
517100
517200
517200
517300
517300
517400
517400
517500
517500
517600
517600
517700
517700
517800
517800
517900
517900
518000
518000
518100
518100
518200
518200
518300
518300
518400
518400
4253
500
4253
500
4253
700
4253
700
4253
900
4253
900
4254
100
4254
100
4254
300
4254
300
4254
500
4254
500
4254
700
4254
700
4254
900
4254
900
4255
100
4255
100
4255
300
4255
300
4255
500
4255
500
4255
700
4255
700
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00014 12 129 119 10 10
1111.. BBRRaaHHEE HHWWYY ((SSaallTTYY HHiillllSS))
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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!(Lowell Highway
Lith Canyon Road
Co
pern
icus
Hig
hw
ay
Lith canyon foot
path
L owell H
ighway
Lowell Highway
Lith Canyon Road
Cope r
nic
us
High
way
Lith
cany
on footpath
ONO RIDGESPRING HILL FOSSIL ROCK
LITH CANYON
T-REX CANYON
MB'S MOUNTAIN
DAISY AND DUKE
HALF CLICK RIDGE
SMALL VISTA BUTTE
Overhang
Husar Pass
The Pillar
Cattle Cove
Canton Cave
Robbi's Bed
Byron's Ridge
CommanDeR's LOG
Andrea's Quarry
Brussels Sprout
CoPernicus North Fence
Beehive Peak
Route 66
New Route 66
Laura's Turnaround
517800
517800
517900
517900
518000
518000
518100
518100
518200
518200
518300
518300
518400
518400
518500
518500
518600
518600
518700
518700
518800
518800
518900
518900
519000
519000
519100
519100
519200
519200
519300
519300
519400
519400
519500
519500
519600
519600
4255
3004255
400 4255
5004255
600 4255
70042
5580
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9004256
000 4256
1004256
200 4256
3004256
400 4256
5004256
600 42
5670
04256
800 4256
9004257
000 4257
1004257
200 4257
3004257
400 4257
500
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00014 1211 11
1122.. ffaaRR nnooRRTTHH ((ccaannYYoonn && ccRREEEEKK))
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Copernicus H
ighway
Brahe Highway
Copernicus Highw
ay
MIRRORS
POINTY PEAK
ROLF'S RIDGE
GREEN VALLEY
BURGENER RIDGEPAUL'S SANDBOX
MARLIS' MEADOW
Deer View
Thoar Tirala
Wash Dead End
Widow's Peak
SKYLINE RIM
Cactus Corner
Four Way Stop
Conjunction Junction
Paul's Sandpit
514800
514800
514900
514900
515000
515000
515100
515100
515200
515200
515300
515300
515400
515400
515500
515500
515600
515600
515700
515700
515800
515800
515900
515900
516000
516000
516100
516100
516200
516200
516300
516300
516400
516400
516500
516500
4252
400
4252
400
4252
600
4252
600
4252
800
4252
800
4253
000
4253
000
4253
200
4253
200
4253
400
4253
400
4253
600
4253
600
4253
800
4253
800
4254
000
4254
000
4254
200
4254
200
4254
400
4254
400
4254
600
4254
600
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00014
13 97 8
1133.. ccooPPEERRnniiccuuSS ((SSKKYYlliinnEE nnooRRTTHH))
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Copern
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Hig
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Low
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hw
ay
Dea
d En
d Roa
d
Ptolemy H
ighwayCop
ernic
us
Hig
hw
ay
Brahe Highway
Low
ell H
ighw
ay
Dea
d En
d Roa
d
Ptolemy Highway
VALLES LUNA
LUNA MONTES
TOOTHY RIDGE
SHEEP KNOLLS
SNOSHTI CANYON
MUDSTONE MOUNDS
SALTY BEIGE HILLS
BOULDERDASH CANYON
Y Ravine
Salt Lick
Brand Bend
Dimitri Corner
Large Sandstone Rock Fall
Widow's PeakTech T
Onion Tea
Jennifer Junction
Zecie's Vista
Panorama Point
C52S2 - Mancos Shale
516100
516100
516200
516200
516300
516300
516400
516400
516500
516500
516600
516600
516700
516700
516800
516800
516900
516900
517000
517000
517100
517100
517200
517200
517300
517300
517400
517400
517500
517500
517600
517600
517700
517700
517800
517800
4254
400
4254
400
4254
600
4254
600
4254
800
4254
800
4255
000
4255
000
4255
200
4255
200
4255
400
4255
400
4255
600
4255
600
4255
800
4255
800
4256
000
4256
000
4256
200
4256
200
4256
400
4256
400
4256
600
4256
600
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 00012
14 1213 9 11
1144.. nnooRRTTHH RRiiVVEERRBBEEDD WWaaYY ((TTooooTTHHYY ))
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
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Saltbush Flats Road
Cope
rnic
us H
ighw
ay
Skylin
e Rid
ge
Road
Skyl ine Connector
Hubble Highway
Sagan Street
New
Copernicus Hwy
Henry Street
Cop
erni
cus
Hig
hw
ay
Saltbus
h Fl
ats
Roa
d
§̈¦24
Saltbush F lats Road
Skyli n
e R
i dge R
oad
Sal tb
ush
Flats R
oad
MIRRORS
SAVANNAH
POINTY PEAK
TOOTHY RIDGE
ROLF'S RIDGE
SNOSHTI CANYON
BURGENER RIDGE
MARLIS' MEADOW
CLARA'S CANYON
MUDSTONE MOUNDS
HUBBLE PLANITIA
SANJEROONI BUTTE
HELIUM HIGHLANDS
HALF PIPE CANYON
SALTY BLACK HILLS
MID RIDGE PLANITIA
HUBBLE PLANITIA 01 PAN
Orthanc
Salt Lick
Deer View
Beehive 24
Thayer Joch
Clara's Cliff
Wash Dead End
Kap AustroMars
Kap Austro Mars
AustroMars Gate
Salt Bush rd Bridge
Skyline Rim Repeater
Large Sandstone Rock Fall
Widow's Peak
Edilweiss Peak
SKYLINE RIM
Cactus Corner
Conjunction Junction
Zecie's Vista
Oyster FieldPaul's Sandpit
Huge Fossil Field
506900
506900
507500
507500
508100
508100
508700
508700
509300
509300
509900
509900
510500
510500
511100
511100
511700
511700
512300
512300
512900
512900
513500
513500
514100
514100
514700
514700
515300
515300
515900
515900
516500
516500
517100
517100 4245
400
4245
700
4246
000
4246
300
4246
600
4246
900
4247
200
4247
500
4247
800
4248
100
4248
400
4248
700
4249
000
4249
300
4249
600
4249
900
4250
200
4250
500
4250
800
4251
100
4251
400
4251
700
4252
000
4252
300
4252
600
4252
900
4253
200
4253
500
4253
800
4254
100
4254
400
4254
700
4255
000
4255
300
4255
600
4255
900
4256
200
4256
500
4256
800
4257
100
4257
400
4257
700
4258
000
4258
300
0 1 100 2 200550 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:56 18713
FB 7 ffaaccTTooRRYY BBuuTTTTEE
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
ffaaccttoorryy BBuuttttee
506900
506900
507500
507500
508100
508100
508700
508700
509300
509300
509900
509900
510500
510500
511100
511100
511700
511700
512300
512300
512900
512900
513500
513500
514100
514100
514700
514700
515300
515300
515900
515900
516500
516500
517100
517100 4245
400
4245
700
4246
000
4246
300
4246
600
4246
900
4247
200
4247
500
4247
800
4248
100
4248
400
4248
700
4249
000
4249
300
4249
600
4249
900
4250
200
4250
500
4250
800
4251
100
4251
400
4251
700
4252
000
4252
300
4252
600
4252
900
4253
200
4253
500
4253
800
4254
100
4254
400
4254
700
4255
000
4255
300
4255
600
4255
900
4256
200
4256
500
4256
800
4257
100
4257
400
4257
700
4258
000
4258
300
0 1 100 2 200550 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:56 187
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§̈¦24
§̈¦ 96
§̈¦95
Don Foutz
HanKsville BLondie's DiNer
Hanksville CheVron petrol s
Whispering Sands Motel
524400
524400
524500
524500
524600
524600
524700
524700
524800
524800
524900
524900
525000
525000
525100
525100
525200
525200
525300
525300
525400
525400
525500
525500
525600
525600
525700
525700
525800
525800
525900
525900
526000
526000
526100
526100
526200
526200 4246
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200 4246
3004246
400 4246
5004246
600 4246
7004246
800 4246
90042
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1004247
200 4247
3004247
400 4247
5004247
600 4247
7004247
800 42
4790
04248
000 4248
1004248
200 4248
300
0 200 400100 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 000156 Hv
HHaannKKSSVViillllEE
noTE: is map is not valid aer april 2008. for up-to-date information on nomenclature and waypoints, please consult the MDRS website at http://desert.marssociety.org/mdrs06d.asp
22
aaBBSSTTRRaaccTT Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is located in the semiarid badland area of utah, where mainly flu-vial erosion shapes the surface. e appearance of the area is Mars-like not only because of the its red color and the barrenbadland surface but because we can find numerous analogs to Mars in both geomorphology and geoprocesses that are orhave been present in the surrondings of Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station, the habitat, where crews spend 2week periods to simulate isolated life and work of a future Mars Base.
BACKGROUND
During the period 14–21 January, 2006, and later during12-26 april 2008 we had an opportunity to explore thebadland - an arid semide-sert area located northwest ofHanksville, utah as part of Mars Society’s human Marsmission simulation project. e habitate is located at38,4°n, 110,8° W or 518233E 4250727n uTM naD, at1367 m height. e simulation is a closed one, isolatedfrom the outside environ-ment, using space suit (simula-tors) for EVas or field works. ree of the four major deserts of north america are con-tained within a geological region called the Basin andRange Province, lying between the Rocky Mountains tothe east and the Sierra nevadas to the west. is area is inthe southeasternmost part of the Great Basin deserts.
Most erosion occured 1-6 million years ago(nsp.gov). e landscape is now carved by water. Massmovements are also important shaping the landscape.Wind is minor agent of erosion.
e main features in the 8x10 km wide area are wellrounded red, grey and beige hills with a covering ofsmooth material that erodes eas-ily, and are sometimescapped by a more resistant, ocre layer of sandstone thatusually breaks into large boulders that falls from the top tothe foot of the hills.
is heavily eroded badland area ends in high cliffs inall directions. on the other side of the cliffs high plainscan be found that are com-posed of resistant rocks. Ero-sion on these plains have not yet reached the least resistantlayers and are covered by scarce vegetation that also helpspreventing massive erosion. is area is closest to the Sta-tion to the west, where Radio Ridge leads to the highlandarea called lower Blue Mountains. e next scarp to thewest is called Skyline Rim, which leads to the highest re-mains of the ancient strata, factory Butte. To the north,the permanent river Muddy creak was the borderline ofour investigation.
23
CONTENTS Maps 4Background 22climate 24Geologic Setting 26colors 28clay Minerals 28Regolith 29Soil – polygonal patterns
30Boulder Pavement 32Erosion 33Badland 33Mesas, Buttes 34aeolian processes 35Wind tails 35Wind etching 36Desert pavement 37fluvial pebble fields 38Sand grains 39Ripple marks 39Ventifacts 40Mass movements 41landslides 41Weathering 42Differential Erosion 43aveolar weathering 44layered rocks 47Physical weathering 48Round rocks 48angular weathering 49local rock gardens 49Blocky weathering 49Exfolation 50Potholes 51Streams, valleys, riverbeds,
wadis 52Gullies 55canyons 55Soil processes 56Slope processes 57cliff ridges 58Rock falls 58
Erosion cycle 59concretions 60Sulfates, salts 61Desert varnish 63Duricrust 63Vegetation 64animal life 65Biogenic patterns on rocks
66change detection 67change detection – the
big picture 72nomenclature 75References 76
24
CLIMATEe high elevation, cold desert area is located in SE utah,in the rain shadow of coastal mountain ranges (Sierra ne-vada). By definition it is a semidesert because its precipita-tion is between 250-500 mm. it is a cold desert, because itsannual average temperature is 12°c (in fact the theoreticallimit is 11°c) (ESD oRnl 1998) and in winter snow isthe dominant form of precipitation (it is at 1350 m eleva-tion: closer to snowline that deserts at seal level). it is abasin desert (orographic desert), because it is betweenSierra nevada and the Rocky Mountains. Wind comesfrom the west as föhn: hot and dry. e moisture is re-leased before reaching the area, in the western side of themountain.Summers are warm and dry, winters are cold and wet.Yearly average temperature is 12,8 c (-1c in January, 26cJuly), Potential annual evapotranspiration is 781 mm (169mm in July, 0 mm in Jan), while annual precipitation is228 mm which occurs equally during the year (roughly 20mm/month), as snow in winter (half of its moisture, there-fore it is called a cold desert), and as rain/torrential rain inthe summer (in July and august, usually in the form ofheavy thunderstorms which may temporarily wash outroads). Rain typically falls in amounts greater than the soilcan absorbe, and flash flooding from runoff is common. inwinter water from melting snow converts the porous sur-face of mudstone hills into real mud. Since potential evapotranspiration is 553 mm higher thanactual precipitation, the area is (semi)arid. Relative humidity is low, and there is little or no cloudcover. Spring and summertime daily tempereature changeis high (in april 2008: -2..22 c). Rapid heating and cool-ing leads to high winds (due to the lack of clouds, vegeta-tion and low humidity and), which increase evaporation.( Jablonsky 1994). High winds (april 2008: up to 60km/h) cause dust storms and can create aeolian landforms.Temperature change is much less during high winds. Relative humidity changes as an inverse function of tem-perature (high during the night) which affects vegeration(flowers are blooming during the night hours).
Morphogenetic regions for climate related landforms on Earth[adapted om Baker (2001) and Marchant and Head (2007)].Dashed oval shows region comprising the Antarctic Dry Valleys. Alsoplotted are modern Mars conditions at 30°,50°, and 60° latitudes, aswell as an ancient Mars at 300 and 1000 mbar.
Climate diagram of thearea. http://www.glob-
albioclimatics.org/
25
Diurnal temperature variation on Mars, at Viking-2 Landing Site (Utopia Planitia). ere is no significant change om day to day, as opposed to Earth.e temperature variation is, however, twice as large as on Earth, because of the thin atmosphere.
Air, surface and subsurface temperatures at MDRSon 22-25 April, 2008. Green and red measurementsmade by in-built data logger thermometers (notcalibrated, in the sun in the aernoon), othersmade by Hume Meteorologial Station. Note theoffset in time for soil temperature measurements of10 and 20 cm. During daytime the warmest is onthe surface, the air and subsurface is less warm.During nighttime (aer sunset) surface and airtemperatures are similar while soil temperaturesare warmer then air.
Max/at Min/at Dirunal ChangeAir 18° 16h -2° 06h 20°Surf. 30° 16h -2° 06h 32°2 cm 29° 16h 6° 07h 23°5 cm 26° 16.30 8° 07.30 18°10 cm 21° 20h 14° 10h 7°20 cm 17° 23h 13° 13h 4°
%/°c
30
25
20
15
10
5
0Temperature (blue and purple, °C) and relative humidity (green and red, %), 10 days in the period April 13-29 2008 recorded by HungarosMars HumeMeteorological Station. Anomalious data are due strong wind.
%
26
GEOLOGIC SETTING
From upper to lower layerse layers of the area are horizontal which suggest the lackof tectonic activity. MMaannccooss SShhaallee e cliff of Skyline Rim are composed of theMancos Shale formation. laid down by a sea advance andretreat. factory Butte. composed of yellow fluvial to mar-ginal marine sand. DDaakkoottaa ffoorrmmaattiioonn ocre, resistant layers of cretaceousDakota Sandstone formation, a result of seacost advanc-ing. it contains beach sand, coal and marine oyster fossils(Gryphaea or Devil’s Toenail) which are abundant at thesurface of the high plains just next to Radio Ridge.
Dakota sandstones are the uppermost layer of thehigh plains area west to MDRS and these are the upper-most layers (capstones) of most mesas or buttes that can befound in the badland region. in most mesas, however, thislayer has been eroded away by now. nothern plains are cov-ered with sand; aeolian features are common; this area hasclosely spaced vegetation cover featuring cacti; vegetationis a core of small mounds with wind tails; sandstone there-fore is more suitable for vegetation that mudstone; whichmight be explained by the high salinity of mudstone.
MMoorrrriissoonn ffoorrmmaattiioonn (type locality: Morrison, Jeffersoncounty, colorado) e main layers of the MDRS area arecomposed of Jurrasic Morrison formation (Barnes 1978)which in many cases have a reddish color.
in general, red, gray, and white mudstone units are in-terbedded with lenticular sandstone and pebble-conglom-erate deposits that represent alluvial channels (streams)within a floodplain and lacustrine (freshwater lake) deposi-tional paleoenvironment, which gave home to several di-nosaur species. its bones can be found together with
Schematic representation of the stratigraphy of southeastern Utah. icknesses are not shown to scale. From Draut 2005.
Le: Devil’s Toenails om Radio Ridge Right: Coal om
petrified wood at the lith canyon region. e Morrisonformation also contains volcanic ash materials that give agrey hue to its strata.
Brushy Basin member (upper half, 60-100 m) erodesinto color-banded hills of mudstones (lith canyon). itcomprises variegated sand-stone, mudstone, siltstone. itcontains smectite, which dries to a popcorn like surface(Bentonite Hills). Bentonitic clays are inhospitible forplants.
Morrison formation’s Salt Wash member (lower half,30-150 m), deposited as an immense alluvial fan, consistsof light colored cross-bedded sandstone and pebble con-glomerates (ridge-forming), interbedded with red andgreen shales with an admixture of grey volcanic ash. it wasdeposited as streams laid down mud and (cross-bedded)sand and pebbles, and in swampy plains.
e least resistant, so layers are thicker, reddishmudstone/shales, which alternate with thinner, light col-ored, resistant sandstone.
Since the Morrison formation layers were depositedin freshwater lakes and rivers, the layers contain large num-ber of s.
Greyish-white layers of resistant mudstone that isbroken to ca. similar size rocks make collars in the perime-ter of hills or can make “cube pavement” if it is on toplayer. candy striped mudstones belong to this formation.
Petrified wood, dinosaur fossils, and uranium andvanadium minerals occur in the Salt Wash Member.
SSuummmmeerrvviillllee ffoorrmmaattiioonn Sediments of a seaside tidal flat ofthe late Jurrassic. e lowest, or most eroded areas of theregion can be found in the candor chasma region, whereSummerville formation is at the surface level. it is com-posed of smooth, reddish brown siltstone and mudstone.Summerville formation appears parallelly striped, consist-ing of thin distinctive layers of chocolate to bone coloredshale and siltsone it includes thin layers of gypsum whichsuggests dry climate when evaporites could form. it can befound at Goblin Valley (in Wild Horse Butte) and parallelto Hwy 24 on the way to Hanksville, and also in someparts of candor chasma.
Regular Shape of a Morrison Formation hill without substantial cappinglayer (Erica’s Hill). Fallen rocks can be found around, proving the exis-tence of their now-eroded layer.
Light Grey collars made of resistant mudstone on the Way to Muddy Creakon Copernicus Highway.
Wavy patterns in a hard, 15 cm wide layer in the valley of Snake River.
28
COLORSe hills and rocks of the area has a wide variety of
colors.color variations in the Brushy Basin rocks aid in
distinguishing some clay mineral differences in it. Varie-gated pastel shades of red, orange, purple, gray and in-termediate colors are more commonly found in normalmontmorillonite.
e most common color of the hills is reddish brown,from hematite (iron oxide, fe2o3), which is the same ma-terial that gives the red color of Mars. it refers to oxidizingconditions. iron content is from the parent rocks fromwhich the sediments were derived.
Yellowish ocre colored rocks are colored by limonite,a mixture of hydrated iron oxides (feo(oH)•nH2o).
Rocks that are light green or blue were deposited in areducing environment, cut off from oxygen.
Dark green rocks contains reduced ferrous iron, andwere deposited in anaerobic conditions: stagnant marinebasins, swamps, oxygen poor lakes. Some dark green boul-ders can be found near Becky’s Hills in area 42.
Grey rocks may be composed of volcanic ash (trans-formed to bentonite) that can be eroded easily. Bentoniteis composed mainly of mont-morillonite, a phyllosilicateclay mineral. (nB: phyllocian age of Mars (4,5-4 Ga ago) isnamed aer phyllosilicates).
CLAY MINERALS e Salt Wash sandstone member contains illite as themost common and abundant clay mineral in both themudstone and sandstone portions, although chloriteand mixed-layer illite-chlorite are also widely distributedin them. Except for the vol-canic-derived montmoril-lonite, most of the clay in the Salt Wash member is be-lieved to have a sedimentary-rock origin. e mudstoneson the semi-arid colorado Plateau provide striking ex-amples that montmorillonite weathers to a “frothy” sur-face, illite and chlo-rite go to smooth or “slicksurfaces“ (Kellner).
Some clays show crackings, others don’t. clarke dif-
ferentiates various regolith terrains (units) according to thepresence of crackings. cracking or swelling clays (smec-tites) are typically formed in arid to sub-arid environ-ments. non swelling clays form in deeply weatheredenvironments (kaolinite, halloysite) or as a result of marinediagenesis (illite). clay plains oen exhibit patchy efflores-cence of sulphate and halite, especially when the surfacedries out aer rain or in areas of groundwater seepage orsurface water (clarke).
Swelling can occur on vermiculites and kaolinites,but is particularly prominent on highly active expanding-lattice smectites, producing a loose, highly porous “pop-corn”, when less / shorter lenght precipitation occurs.Dispersion produces a compact, structureless, almost im-permeable crust (Kasanin-Grubin and Bryan, 2007).
clarke have made a detailed classification of macro-and microscale regolith (material and craching), landscape(morphologic) and surface crust (material) units of theMDRS area (clarke; clarke and Pain 2004).
Candy striped mudstones om ielges Flats.
Colors of a weathered mudstone hill near Baby Dragon
29
REGOLITHSoils are halomorphic because of the salt content
with accumulated caco3 layers. e regolith is cracking or non-cracking; popcorn-
shaped or cracked crust. e nature of the surface layer isdependent on weathering conditions: in some places(Sagan St) it changed in 2 years time. e same pattern ofchange was reported by Kasanin-Grubin and Bryan (2007)from alberta badlands. ey interpreted popcorn patternas a result of less precipitation. However, in other placesonly kms from our location the surface type (with crack-ings) remained the same (near “White Mushrooms”, Erica’sHill) aer the same 2 years (see next page).
Change in regolith cover type om smooth/popcorn tocracking (2006-2008) in E. Sagan Street. e samearea in 2006 (above) and 08 (below), on E SaganStreet. e pattern of cracks has been changed due tonew rainfall / desiccation.
Popcorn shaped weathered surface.
Cracked surface crust.
22000066 22000088
SOILPOLYGONAL PATTERNSPolygonal patterns can be made maily by several processes:involving ice (freeze-thaw cycle, ice wedges) and dry (arid)processes (desiccation) or because of sudden cooling ofmaterial. Here at MDRS desiccation is the main polygon-making process.
in few places soils show a polygonal patterned struc-ture. is is caused by the wet (for example from wintersnow melting) and later desiccated clays on the surface (asopposed to freeze-thaw cycle made ice wegde polygons inpermafrost areas). e chunks between the desiccationcracks can show concave, convex, flat or irregular profile.
Stable patterns on flat surface: om 2006 to 2008 there was no change inthe pattern of crackings (near Erica’s Hill) (Detail of photo pair in previ-ous page)
Erica’s Hill: older small and newer big cracks next to each other
Upper right: Polygonal patterned ground near White Top. Le: Polygo-nal patterned ground on Mars (E12-02319) Lower right: Patterned soilaer snow melting. e polygonal patterns to the upper right are higherthan ground level, while to the lower right those are lower (cracks).
Polygons of different microclimate zones in the Antarctic Dry Valleys, aMars-analog site (Marchant and Head). Right: ice-wedge polygons. soilsare seasonally moist and thus seasonal oscillation about 0 ?C (273 K) pro-duces a classic active layer. Le: sand-wedge polygons . Soils are too dry toproduce classic active-layer disturbance, even though summer soil tempera-tures rise above 0 ?C
31
Two generations or sizes of polygonal patterned cracks in one place
Upper two images and upper right: Desiccation polygons of hydratable clayin a rock-sheltered part of Lith Canyon
Lower image: Two generations of patterns near Factory Butte (Desiccationpolygons and secondary polygons)
32
BOULDER PAVEMENT (Poligonal cracks in bedrock)ese sufaces are made of the relatively flat top of an ero-sion-resistant (but disintegrating) layer, currently on thesurface. crack patterns of bedrock resembles the same pat-tern in Burns formation at Meridiani Planum, Mars (chanet al. 2008).
POLIGONAL PATTERNEDBEDROCK CRACKING
Rock pavement of more resistant, flat rock layers that are split by paralleland rectangular joints can be found in several places. Upper right: Husaron rectangular cracking rock pavement Upper le: Rock pavement on Mars(Opportunity, Eagle crater). Lower le: making a stone collar at ToothyRidge.
Opportunity’s view of Victoriacrater
Southwest om Factory Butte, North Caineville Mesa’s southern tip’s topshows polygonal cracking .
Polygonal weathering of white bedrock south of Erica’s Hill, the same layeras in Toothy Ridge
Toothy Ridge: ese are he result of weathering of white sandstone bedswith rectilinear joints. Weathering proceeds fastest at the corners, resultingin rounded forms. Being sandstone they are channel-fill units in theBrushy Basin member of the Morrison Formation. e white sandstonesand shales had Na-smectites, as opposed to Fe-smectites ion the red ones.(Jon Clarke, personal communication, 2008).
EROSION e surface is heavily eroded. Weathering, the freeze-thawcycle, mudflows from snow melting, and torrential rainstogether with flash floods shape the region. in the lowlying areas erosion is faster that the speed at which vegeta-tion can bound the upper soil layer. erefore vegetationcan be found in areas of accumulation, i.e. in low terrainsin river valleys or in high lying flat areas, where badland isnot yet present.
BADLANDBadlands are devoid of vegetation and oen having an ex-tremely rugged terrain. ey develop where so, highlyerodible, relatively impermeable rocks are exposed torapid fluvial erosion (which definition makes par excel-lence badlands absent on Mars). ey are customarily as-sociated with arid or semiarid environments, but they infact develop on a wide range of materials and climatesfrom the arctic to the tropics. one of their most character-istic features are rilles and gullies that dissect a barrenlandscape. Steep sided residuals rise above gentle slopingalluviated or pedimented surfaces. MMiiccrroorreelliieeff is complex:desiccation cracks, pipes, rills, etc. Erosion rates of 2mm/yr to 20 mm/yr have been reported. High rates oferosion and rapid runoff produce high sediment yields.(campbell 1989)
e MDRS badland may not be contemporary; infact, its rock’s desert var-nish may be several tensof thousands of yearsold. e bandland areaitself may be millions ofyears old. erefore thesemiarid environmentmay just conserve theold landscape, which isnow not actively form-ing despite its highlyerodible materials – only
Highland1460 m
Mesa1820 m
Badland1340 m
ree levels at the MDRS area
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KISSING CAMEL RANGE
RESERVOIR
Cope
rnicus H
ighw
ay
Cactu
s Roa
d
Lowell Highw
ay
Sagan Street
Unnam
ed H
ighw
ay
Sch
iapare
lli H
ighw
ay
Hubble Highway
Old
Cop
ernic
us
Hw
y
New Copernicus Hwy
Brahe Highway
Henry Street
Radio
Ri d
ge R
oad
Cactus R
oad NE
Chapman Way
Dea
d En
d Roa
d
Ptolemy H
ighway
Lith Canyon Road
Skyline Repeater Access Foot Trail
Rad
io R
i dg
e Road N
Lith canyon foot
path
Cop
ernic
us H
ighw
ay
Lowell
Highw
ay
Lowell H
ighw
ay
Low
ell H
igh
way
Lowell Highway
Hubble Highw
ay
Hubble H
ighw
ay
§̈¦24
Ham Hillock
Rope Rescue
Blind Corner
Collapsed Road
Impassable Wash
HIPPO
PIMPLE
AREA 42
MIRRORS
ONO RIDGE
FLAG HILL
BOX CANYON
ARSIA MONS
LADY DUNES
MHS VALLEY
MINE FIELD
SPRING HILL
VALLES LUNA
LUNA MONTES
FOSSIL ROCK
BABY DRAGON
POINTY PEAK
COUGAR HILL
LITH CANYON
EDDIE'S HILL
SANDI'S HILL
PAVONIS MONS
OLYMPUS MONS
HARRIS HILLS
ERICA'S HILL
TOOTHY RIDGE
SHEEP KNOLLS
T-REX CANYON
TURTLE HILLS
FIRE HYDRANT
ROLF'S RIDGE
GREEN VALLEY
PHOBOS PHOOT
HEIDI'S HILL
PHOBOS FLANK
FAMILY CREST
MB'S MOUNTAIN
ASCRAEUS MONS
ESZTER'S HILL
BECKY'S RIDGE
REBECCA RIDGEMOUNT NUTELLA
POTHOLE FIELD
BOULDER FIELD
MOUNT SAGEWOOD
THIELGES FLATS
MAXWELL MONTES
SNOSHTI CANYON
BURGENER RIDGEPAUL'S SANDBOX
BARBARA'S HILL
DAISY AND DUKE
STRIPED DRAGON
CAMEL TOE DRAW
FLAT ROCK PARK
MARLIS' MEADOW
CLARA'S CANYON
SERENITY VALLEY
UTOPIA PLANITIA
ANNE'S MOUNTAIN
MURPHY'S CANYON
MUDSTONE MOUNDS
HUBBLE PLANITIA
SHANNON'S RANGE
HILDEGARD HILLS
SLEEPING IGUANA
COLLAPSING WALL
SANJEROONI BUTTE
VALLES MARINERIS
HELIUM HIGHLANDS
HALF CLICK RIDGE
HALF PIPE CANYON
WINDCATCHER HILL
SALTY BLACK HILLS
SCHUBERT PLANITIA
SALTY BLACK HILLS
SALTY BEIGE HILLS
RED WALLED CANYON
SMALL VISTA BUTTE
WHITE ROCK CANYON
MID RIDGE PLANITIA
WHITE TOP MOUNTAIN
PATHFINDER OUTWASH
BOULDERDASH CANYON
STIPED DRAGON NORTH
NEAT LITTLE PLATEAU
MOUND TRICOLOR SOIL
HUBBLE CANYON 01 PAN
HUBBLE PLANITIA 01 PAN
AMBER AND ANDREWS PLAYGROUN
MORGAN AND LILI'S PLAYGROUN
Anvil
Archie
Scylla
Orthanc
Cow Gate
Ant Ares
Overhang
Y Ravine
Salt Lick
47 Onions
Dune Pass
Gecko Bay
Tree Gate
Deer View
Charybdis
Wind Face
Brand Bend
Husar Pass
Beehive 24
Stonehenge
The Pillar
Clara Pass
Funny Face
Thayer Joch
Cattle Cove
Canton Cave
Robbi's Bed
Chluda Pass
COWgirl RISe
Thoar Tirala
Goose Glouch
Kabo's Kliff
Hundred Ants
Hutti's Dream
Judith's Cave
Byron's Ridge
Piece of Cake
Picknick Area
Clara's Cliff
Sunday Pointe
Zubrin's Head
Wash Dead End
Schubert Pass
Kap AustroMars
Repeater Point
Shortcut South
River Crossing
Dimitri Corner
Faux Dinosaurs
CommanDeR's LOG
Kap Austro Mars
AustroMars GateAustroMars Gate
Big Daddy Point
Telegraph Point
Andrea's Quarry
Brussels Sprout
Hubert's Heaven
Gargoyle Gallery
Blue Devils Pass
UFO Landing Site
Bin Laden's Cave
Blecken's Boulder
Balloon Launch Pad
Skyline Rim Repeater
CoPernicus North Fence
Kyle's Reflection Rock
Large Sandstone Rock Fall
Reservoir Water Sample Park
Candor Chasma Access Parkin
Phobos PeakNadia's Peak
Widow's Peak
Beehive Peak
Edilweiss Peak
Patricia's Peak
SKYLINE RIM
RADIO RIDGE
RADIO RANGE
CANDOR CHASMA
Tech T
Dead End
Route 66
Rest Stop
Onion Tea
Oyster Turn
New Route 66
Cactus Corner
Four Way Stop
Clara's Corner
Highway Turnoff
Jennifer Junction
Sagan Street Start
Laura's Turnaround
Cow Dung Road Exit
Conjunction Junction
HAB
HabView
Zecie's Vista
Toast Lookout
Panorama Point
Andreas Buena Vista
Sun Rock
Spice Field
Oyster Field
Olivia's Rock
Fossil Shells
Oyster Shells
Ignious Field
Paul's Sandpit
Carina's Quarry
Glistening Seas
Mellow Mushrooms
Barsoom Outcrops
Huge Fossil Field Sedimentary Outcrop
C52S2 - Mancos Shale
C52S1 - Chert hypoliths
Motherload of Concretions
Calcite And Hematite Concre
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0 740 1 480370 meterMap of the Mars Desert Research Station area 1:10 000NOTE: This map is NOT valid after April 2008. For up-to-date nomenclature and waypoint information, consult the MDRS website.
SkílineRim
factory Butte
Muddy creak
annual torrentian rains can produce a minimal erosionrate.
e same problem arises with Martian “young”, smallforms, like polygonal patterned grounds. How young arethey? are they active today or represent earlier climaticconditions?
is is also a good locality for visualization of Davis’erosional cyles: the highland being the young (transient);the badland the mature; and the plains at the base of thebadland the old stage (Davis 1909).
34
MESAS, BUTTESinselbergs, island mountains (buttes) are steep hills
standing in a sloping plain. ese are formed by differentialerosion, with an erosion resistant caprock layer.
Buttes have no plateau on its top while mesas are flattopped inselbergs; plateaus are continuous highland areas.ey are a narrow, flat-topped hills of resistant rock withvery steep sides. Probably formerly mesas.
Mesas are a large, broad, flat-topped hills bounded bycliffs and capped with a resistant rock layer.
e best recognizable landform of the region is fac-tory Butte, a steep cliff-bordered butte. Several characteris-tics of a butte talus slope can be observed at Skyline Rim.
Erosion landforms on Mars are similar to antarcticdry valleys and semidesert areas of the american South-West, areas where salt weathering is present. Troughs andmesas are formed with wind removal of the debris, andmesas and ridges are accumulating significant talus( Jagoutz 2006).
Badlands are classified in italy as biancane (small con-ical domes and calanchi (highly dissected bare/steepslopes) types (farieh and Soeters 2006). Here dissectedslopes occur, but landforms are not conical: hills are morerounded.
Right: Factory Butte showing straight cliffs and large, heavily eroded debris apron / talus slope / colluvial fan. Erosion here is made by fluvial processes. Le:A mesa on Mars with debris apron (2004.12.16.R2100326) without the sign of any fluvial process. Lower images: Factory Butte om above shows the difference between mesa and butte and theMartian and Terrestrial example (i.e. the presence of gullies).
Factory Butte as art. Photo by (c) William Cli (1985)
is is not Mars and Earth but the Antarctica and Utah, showing geologicsimilarities.(pictures om Clarke and om André and Hall 2005)
Factory Butte as art. Photo by (c) Adam Schallau (2006)
35
AEOLIANPROCESSES
WIND TAILS / WIND STREAKS(anchored dunes due to nativevegetation)
Wind tails/wind streaks: le: wind tails on a Mariner 9 image (1972,Terra Tyrrhena). Upper and lower right: One patch of grass can boundwindblown sand, forming a small mound on the ground with. It is alsoshowing the direction of the wind. Other sand particles of this side are re-moved om the surroundings. On the way to Candor Chasma.
Fluvial processes: Streaks in a dry riverbed (near T-Rex Canyon), made byfluvial processes. ese are negative forms around the pebbles and positivein the leeward side, like a negative version of nebkha dunes.
Spirit, Wind streaks on Mars
36
WIND ETCHINGin the foots of the rolling hills the regolith can be sev-
eral meters thick, giving a good analog to Mars, wherethick layers of regolith has been formed over millions ofyears.
e work of aeolian erosion is clearly visible in thoseareas where some scarce vegetation could withstand fluvialerosion. in these areas grass can bound sand forming windstreaks and small mounds of sand, centering some kind ofvegetation. aeolian erosion in other areas removes smallsized particles from the surface. in some places older, mmsized desert crust remains can be seen, while its surround-ing has been removed (wind etching).
Sandy areas are above the “badland level”, where sand-stone is producing sand. it may be less salty, which is betterfor vegetation.
Rovers wheel tracks shows the nature of the upper layer of the regolith. So-journer’s wheels le traces on the dust of Mars, showing the lack of desertcrust. Husar’s wheels le their tracks only in muddy, wet ground, aersnow melted. But during dry conditions the wheels remained clean (right)
Upper le: Wind etching removed hard, very thin, probably seasonal crustthat was deposited during rainy seasons. Lith Canyon floor. Lower: e ef-fect of wind etching can carve deep valleys into the so sand if the upperdesert crust is broken. Note the ripples.
Remains of a small sand crust
Wind etching (?) or dried fluvial deposits in a riverbed (near T-RexCanyon)
DESERT PAVEMENTDeflation-made pebble fields (Desert pavement) /
pavements of stone / gibber plains (AUS) / desert armourStony desert pavements stabilize the surface by fur-
nishing protection to underlying desert soils. e pebble’ssource is varied: it may be the direct disintegration of con-glomerates or can be deposited by flowing water. ey aremade of roughly similar size pebbles, the smallers removedby wind. Roundness pebbles originate from its paleoenvi-ronment: they are round in the the original conglomerate,so their shape is not a result of subsequent weathering.
Pebble cover N of Shannons Range
on higher levels pavements of stone are clearly madeof the disintegrated rocks (conglomerates), while on thelower levels fluvial activity may move or accumulate peb-bles. During flooding pebbles can be complete removedfrom the levels below water level while in the higherground (terraces) they are le unchanged, making islandsof desert pavement.
is resembles desert pavement of Regs/Serirs (peb-ble deserts)
Pebble field N of Lady Dunes, on a flat, plateau surface. Here roundedpebbles are clearly a remnant of weathered,, disintegrated capstone con-glomerates that could be found in a higher layer. (below)
Conglomerates NW of Eszter’s Hill has a different erosional product:small crumby pieces, may be because the cementing material is stronger orfluvial processes have removed smaller grains.
Formation of desertpavement
38
FLUVIAL PEBBLEFIELDS (ROCK-DEFENDED ALLUVIALTERRACES)
in several places pebble (gravel) fields are composed of wellsorted pebbles, with a sharp border. outside these fieldsthere is no pebble. Sometimes they are on a delta like struc-ture (alluvial fans). ese may represent a stage in erosionwhen fluvial erosion could not remove gravels larger than aparticular size and accumulated them, while next to it, itwas still strong enough to move all those particles; or viceversa, next to it, it was so weak that it could not transporteven particles that large to the area. later aeolian processes(the wind) removed all smaller particles, leaving only thelarger ones.
Wel sorted, sharp pebbles are always near accumulation terrains of vadis.Le: Pebble fields that is on the top of a delta shaped so sediment covershowing the possible connection to fluvial activity (T-Rex Canyon Goblinarea). Upper right:. Pebble field north of the hab, near Harris Hills. Herethe borderline is a winding wash. Lower right: Pebble field south of Col-lapsed Wall that ends in a sharp borderline. Lower center: cm scaled gob-lins at T-Rex Canyon, showing that these pebbles have witnessed strongflowing water here.
Pebble field on the higher levels (“island/terrace”), on lower levels pebblesof desert pavement were removed by the river (near Reservoir)
Islands of pebble fields in a lowland areas S of Erica’s Hill
Le: Sample om fine grained sand at the center of riverbed. Right: Sam-ple om sand at pebble field at higher level near riverbed
Right: Rocky slope near Erica’s Hill Le: Rocky slope of Spirit landing site.Probably made by physical weathering (insolation).
RIPPLES/ RIPPLEMARKS
ey can occur in the beds of rivers where the waterstream forms them. ey are “petrified” for the dry season.an other obvious method of ripple formation is wind-blown sand ripples. Ripples are formed by saltation of sand
grains.
39
SAND GRAINSe area has sand grains of aeolian and fluvial origin.
aeolian processes create angular pebbles (it can notmove them) and rounded sand grains (being saltated).
fluvial processes create rounded pebbles (rolled onthe riverbed) and angular sand grains (floating in thewater).
Upper and lower le: Pebble fields on Mars. Upper right: Pebbles in Char-lies Flats (Opportunity, Mars). Lower right: A similar, although biogenicsorting process is the building of anthills: ants build their hills om thosepebbles that they can move. is give a upper limit in size, while the windremoves all particles it can, giving a lower size limit. e result is a wellsorted hill, resembling shield volcanoes, composed of only pebbles.
Right: Aeolian ripple formation. Here there was not enough raw materialto form a continuous ripple field. is was formed in a small valley, nearPhobos Peak. Note the well sorted middle part of the ripples with larger,and the peripheral parts with smaller sand particles. Le: Dark Dunes inProctor Crater (M0702777), Mars.
Right: Sand-filled valley near Phobos Peak. Ripples can be observed in themiddle of the valley, where the wind is strongest. Le: Deeply carved val-leys with ripples on Mars (2004.09.25.R1901235)
Saltation of sand
40
VENTIFACTS (EDGY PEBBLES / FLANKYROCKS)
Edgy pebbles are usually found in desert areas where continuous wind ac-tivity chisel sharp edges to pebbles that are flipped to their other side thusobtaining an other edge. Here this rock to the right was found in a dryriverbed, which shows its different origin. e ones to the le are omToothy Ridge: these are eroded to rounded edges on the surface but theiresh joints are edgy when taken apart. Lunar half buried rocks are erodedto rounded shape by micrometeorite bombardment but they are still sharpunder the regolith. e borderline forms an edge.
Formation of ventifacts
Spirit /the flanky Mimi rock
Rocks Cake and Blanco (Spirit)Possible ventifact on Sagan Highway East
41
MASS MOVEMENTSLANDSLIDESCOLLAPSING CLIFFS
Some cliffs can collapse in landslides. landslides canbe observed in many scales. Uppermost: Skyline Rim. Upper: Landslides and cliff collapses near
Muddy Creak. Not the boot for scale. Lower le: Eos Chasma, Mars(Mars Express). Lower right: Ganges Chasma, Mars
n
42
WEATHERINGWeathering is also present on Mars, in mechanical
rather then chemical form which is proven by the presenceof olivine grains which would decompose if chemicalweathering would be present on Mars ( Jagoutz 2006). im-pact weathering plays a minor rule as observed by the ab-sence of impact breccia / glasses which is common on anylunar surface.
on Mars rocks are mostly angular. ose which arerounded has only one side rounded. is shows that rockson (present surface of ) Mars are not transported, norchemically weathered, but fragmented locally. Jagoutz(2006) proposes salt-induced fragmentation to explain the
these observations on Mars. Daily freeze-thaw cycle (of saltsolution) may be part of this process, as observed in theantarctic dry valleys. on Mars salt is carried by wind asdust, water is present in the form of ice. e resulting saltsolution probably enters the rocks as a liquid film whichmay be present for a limited time during summer daytimehours, depositing salts in the pore space of rocks; however,the fragmentation is caused later aer evaporation/subli-mation of water and crystallization of salt.
Rocks are weathered to small grains but the smallest ones are removed bywind. (Near Reservoir)
43
DIFFERENTIAL (SELECTIVE) EROSION
Balanced rocks: rocks that has alternating hard (sand-stone) and so (siltstone, shale) layers the hard layers pre-vents erosion of the underlying so layers which are erodedaway slowly.
e most prominent examples of the process of dif-ferential erosion is the Goblin Valley area where EntrandaSandstone forms various shaped rocks. ese here arecalled goblins, while in other areas (just as here formery)they are called mushrooms or, if their base is larger,pedestal rocks. if there is no top hard sandstone, but a highspire shaped structure is composed of so material, whichis eroded by near vertical joints, it is called hoodoo. How-ever, in the literature goblins, hoodoos, mushrooms andbalanced rocks are sometimes used interchangeably. ebase of these landforms are usally covered with a thin
veener of soil (colluvium). e strange shape of the uppersandstone layers can be explained with the geochemistry ofthe rocks. Minerals precipitated in the tiny spaces betweenindividual sand grains provide a degree of hardness to thesandstone bed. Variations in the amount and type of ce-ment may also contribute to the shape of goblins.
nB: Mushrooms in deserts are created by the differ-ent forces of the wind at different levels from the ground(near ground level it is stronger with more grains): herethis is not the case. ese also resemble earth pyramids,like in Bolzano, S. Tyrol where wind did not play a role inthe formation.
Lower right: Mushrooms/pedestal rocks near Phobos Peak. Here white,non-resistant material (volcanic ash?) is capped by sandstone. Lower le:Rounded grey pebble and reddish colluvium: mushroom in T-Rex Canyon518540/4251155/1377m. Upper le: Not real mushrooms, south of Col-lapsed Wall: probably different cementation of the same material preparesthese small mushrooms. Upper right: A more eroded mushroom.
44
ALVEOLAR WEATHERING: TAFONI, ALVEOLI VS. TRACEFOSSILSin varous rocks and areas show cavernous weathering phe-nomena: rocks have small hollows, pits, cave-like featureswith rounded entrances, smooth concave walls, and lim-ited depths. ey usually occur in groups. ese forma-tions are called tafoni or alveoli (if smaller) or honeycombstructures. Tafoni occur in coastal areas (from salt sprayweathering) and salty deserts, and also in the antarcticpeninsula (andré and Hall, 2005). eir formation isprobably caused by salt weathering processes (here, on theseaside and also in the case of antarctic tafoni salt or gyp-sum is present): hydration of clay minerals with salinemoisture causing volume change or salt crystallizationpressures from growth of crystals from solution. When thissolution evaporates, salt crystals precipitate in pores spaces.e resulting crystalline solid precipitated between min-eral grains can exert stress and readily cause mineral break-down. Tafoni can be caused by heterogenious rockcomposition or grain size (differential erosion), or positivefeedback mechanisms caused by microclimatic differences.(Boxerman 2008)
Salt weathering is proposed to be one of the domi-nant ways of weathering on Mars (Malin 1974, Jagoutz2006), but only in the form of disintegrating rocks intofragments and later sand. formation of tafonies, com-monly observed in salt erosional areas on Earth, seems tobe absent on Mars.. However, the tafonies might only beformed if the surface of the rocks are cleaned from salt byrainwater. en the salt erosion is only progressing rain-protected hollows producing this typical cavernous erosioncalled tafonies ( Jagoutz 2006).
Alveolized boulders. Upper le: Same as above, but with a different stone:siltstone. Lower right: Strange erosional holes and shapes in a siltstonenorth om the hab. Lower le: Pits in a siltstone near Lowell Highway(with Husar rover) Central right: Close-up of one of the strangely erodedrocks in Morgan and Lili’s Playground Upper right: Tafoni in a rock sam-ple.
Le: Close-up of a rock named Esperanza (Spirit; Home Plate), which isthought to be a vesicular basaltic rock. e holes were created by cavities ofgas in molten lava, giving them a distinctive, sponge-like appearance.Later erosion made the holes larger. e overall appereance resemles tafoni(to the right).
45
Cavities interpreted as trace fossils made by ants (Hasiotis 2004)
interpretation of such unusual cavities is not easy.Hasiotos (2004) interprets such “interconnected oblate tohemispherical chambers and galleries” as ant nests (ichno-fossils: trace fossils) in the sand- and mudstones of Morri-son formation. ese fossils would predate the firstknown fossil ants in amber by 50 million years. e ques-tion is: are these cavities tafonis or at least initiated bytrace fossils? Vesicular basalts on Mars, alveoli on Earthand ant nest trace fossils are morphologycally more or lessalike.
Tafoni in red sandstone (Near Reservoir)
Lonely tafonis near Striped Dragon
Pitted rock at 0518634 4248742(3D anagliph image)
Knobbed and pitted surface of candy-colored mudstone layer in Morganand Lili’s Playground.
Vesicular basalt om afar, Home Plate, Spirit: same morphology, differentformation
Le: Trace fossils, contemporary phenomena or abiogenic patterns? InLith Canyon, in the cliffs above Hidden Mud Chips.
Right, up: Modern communal nests excavated in i-able channel sandstone by bees belonging to the An-
drenidae and represent hard ground borers;constructed sometime in the Holocene. ese can be
mistaken easily for trace fossils constructed in theUpper Jurassic sediments. (Hasiotis 2004)
Right, down: Cocoons and nests interpreted as vari-ous types of (Jurassic) wasp nests used for reproduc-
tion (Hasiotis 2004)
47
LAYERED ROCKSlayered rocks are composed of cemented sediments of an-cient dunes or riverbeds.
Lower le: Layered structures are not necessarily made only by erosion:here, near Candor Chasma. Lower right: Parallelly splitting, stones nearBig Daddy Point. Upper right: Fluvial erosion near Candor Chasma re-veals fine layering. Upper le: Layered outcrop of a rock on Mars (Oppor-tunity). e lamellae suggest dune sandstone origin, with slopingcrossbedding and tiny grains. e layers are emphasized by erosion.
Up: False color image of layered rocks (Nancy Warren, Home Plate, Mars)(Elizabeth Mahon) Le, B&W: Spirit photo of another layered rock atHome Plate
Near Erica’s Hill
Near Erica’s HillNear Shannon’s Range
48
PHYSICAL WEATHERINGe resulting forms of physical weathering may be very dif-ferent, regardless of the similarity of proesses. e reason isthe inner structure of the rock being weathered. Disinte-gration is granular in coarse grained rocks that disinte-grates into its composing mineral grains, laminar in layeredrocks and also in sandstone and conglomerate.
ROUND ROCKS Interpreted as anhydrite nodules (Clarke, le) explaining the salt precipi-tation phenomena around. (“”White Mushroom Field”) Gypsum con-verted into anhydrite by dehidration produce oen nodular orchicken-wire structure.
ANGULAR/LAMINAR WEATHERING
BLOCKY WEATHERING /DISINTEGRATION
in layer falling to angular pieces near Eszter’s Hill. Round white rocksare next to and probably under it so it can be interpreted as its caprock.
Splintered, angular brick-like pieces of darkrocks, om a thiker layer, near Erica’s Hill.
LOCAL ROCK GRADENSin some places rocks from erosion resistant layers disinte-grate on the ground. Rocks fall apart (due to physical ero-sion processes), while grains of sand are removed by thewind, thus leaving only larger boulders, as in hammada(rock desert) areas but not consisting a continuous layer ofrocks: in the “rock garden” areas (in the local MDRSnomenclature: “Playgrounds”) soil is clearly visible be-tween the pieces of rocks. in areas of disintergating con-glomerate, gravel can make a continuous layer thuspreventing erosion of the underlyingmaterials (see desert pavement).(near lady Dunes or the Play-grounds north from the Hab). Dif-ferent layers (with differentcomposition) as sources produce dif-ferent ways of erosion.
EXFOLATIONOnion-skin weathering /thermal expansion / exfolation /desquamation / insolation weathering)
Spheroidal (exfolation) in hard, homogenious, or finegrained heterogenious rocks. e result of exfolation is amore and more rounded / oval “core” rock. Mainy con-nected to insolation, since “onion skins” are produced bythe tension made by the difference between the warmedexterior and the cold interior of the rocks.
aannaallyyssiiss ooff tthheerrmmaall ddiiffffeerreenncceess::Temperature of white rocks were
20 c directly facing the sun16,6 c in the sun9,5-13 c in shadow
candy colored rocks:25 c in white area23 c in dark red area
ermal diffrences are also present on the regolithsurface: ese data were taken roughly at the same time
35 c -36,4 c Stream bed center, polygonal 31,6 c Stream bed sand 30,3 Salt efflorence, bright35,5 c Gravel26,5 c Polygons, salty
e surface of regolith can be warmed to high tem-peratures while the air and deeper soil is cooler (2008 apr17).
Dark red regolith surface in sun: 52,7c (16:10h),about 20 cm depth: 18 c; very bright salty surface: 19,1 c(17:10h)
Onion-skin weathering on a angular - therefore young - piece of rock
Onion-skin weathering is clear on the lower right side of this broken mud-stone „egg” near Striped Dragon. Sinc it is rounded, it is exfolated for alonger time
51
POTHOLES ere are large holes in East Sagan Street where water ispossibly flowing in an underground cave or creek. in otherareas small holes are carved into individual boulders (forexample in Morgan and lili’s Playground). is probablyreflects longer erosion of mudstones or siltstones.
Potholes are also called pipes (clarke). Piping is agroundwater phenomenon characteristic of cracking clays.infiltrating water is channeled along the cracks, the con-centrated subterranean flow eroding vertical and horizon-tal pipes which discharge lower down the slope (clarke).
Desiccation crakcs and weakness planes can allowdeepo and rapid moisture penetration, oen causing pipeor tunnel erosion. (campbell 1989).
Pothole in E Sagan St.
Collapse pits (small pipes) near Phobos Peak
Large collapse pits on Mars(2005.07.27.S0600667)probably formed on a vol-canic tunnel.
52
STREAMS, VALLEYS,RIVERBEDS, VADISin the region various sizes of washes, streams, gulles can beobserved (mm to km scale). We can find whole few metersized catchment areas on the slopes of badland hills. Sincethe surface is so and erodes easily, rivers move large quan-tities of particles.
Source of flowing water is only rainfall, not ground-water: valleys of streams only periodically carry water.
a typical form of desert valley is called arroyo: drydesert gully, usually a small, narrow canyon with steepwalls and a flat, gravel strewn floor.
Upper le: Complete Drainage System on one individual hill with deep Vshaped valleys. Lower right: erosional Channel system on Mars (Viking)Lower center: Apollinaris Patera, Mars: depositing Drainage SystemUpper right: V shaped small valleys sometimes are dotted with cm sizedwell sorted sharp gravels. Pebbles or boulders eventually will move to val-leys, originating om any place on the hilltops. Lower right: V shaped valley of larger size in Toothy Ridge showing strongfluvial erosion
Upper right: Flat valley (channel) carved into an alluvial valley. Note thedeep, cm scale scarps of the wash. Upper le: A System of cm scale Valleysnear the hab. Although now dry, aer a rainfall or snow melting they arefilled up by particle-filled small creeks. Lower image: Valley on Mars. Ithas no flat valley floor as on the other valleys shown here.
Energy from stream flow and channel shapes are in-terconnected. in V shaped or deeply carved valleys erosiontakes place. Here gravity and friction of sediment with thebed are the main valley shaping force. in winding streamsflowing water transport particles. in delta areas sedimenta-tion is the main process. all three stages of erosion /trans-portation /sedimentation can be observed in all sizes inthe region. in winding (meandering) rivers the differentshapes of the concave and convex shorelines (sedimenta-tion in one side, heavy erosion in the other) can be ob-served.
Winding meanders of Snake River as photographed om Widow’s Peak.
53
Winding river valley in small scale: note the two different sides of the val-ley. On one side erosion, on the other sedimentation occurs (Near DamReservoir).
Rivers in weathered mud (clay) layer, near Reservoir: meanders and deltathat usually can be found in craters on Mars
Eberswalde Crater delta on Mars
Fine grained, dried deposited sediment om a previous wet period’s streamleaving its ripple marks and flow marks solidified. is dry layer can easilybe removed.
ppoooollppooiinntt bbaarrddeeppoossiittss
rriifflffleelleevvééee
ccuutt bbaannkk
rriiddggee aanndd sswwaallee ssttrruuccttuurree
lleevvééee
flflooooddppllaaiinn
ddeellttaa
Dry sediments of a valley showing patterns made by flowing water
New riverbeds in sany deposit near Erica’s Hill. Note the fine grains of theriverbed sediment.
Riverbed deposit, dried (way to Toothy Ridge). Linguloid Ripples indicateshallow, rapid flow within the ripple stability field.
Path of stream near Phobos Peak
55
GULLIES
CANYONSone of the most visible results of fluvial erosion is the for-mation of deep canyons. ere are two major canyon areasin the region: lith canyon and candor chasma. eseare deepened by the torrential summer rains and as a con-sequence, flash floods. e force of flowing water canmove large sized boulders, although during the dry seasonswind removes all other materials from the canyon floors.
Le: Skyline Rim’s talus apron has gullies. Some debris flow can also makesuch channels, but those are U shaped. Right: Gullies on Mars with apronsat their foots. (0302290 MGS)
Scarcely vegetated canyon with fluvial sediments.
Large boulders in the eastern entrance of Lith Canyon.
56
MASS MOVEMENTSSOIL MOVEMENTS?at one place, bright lobes are present on the hillslopes.is same region is also special for its “polka-dotted rocks”not found anywhere else. e lobes may be some forms ofsolifluction or an other fluvial activity related process.note that this is the site of potholes and pipes – subsurfacewater drainage may enter the surface in this layer, or thismay be a thin layer of an different material in the strata se-ries of the hill.
22000066 22000088
A terrace like part of one of the red smooth surfaced hills north om the hab, near Sagan Street East (2006). ere was no change in the path of gulliesaer 2 years, but the texture of the area has been changed.
Detail of a solifluction lobe-like feature
SLOPE PROCESSES
e area is abundant with vegetation-free slopes where var-ious slope processes take place. Here evidences to massmovements, splash erosion, fluvial erosion, and muddycreeping can be observed. Slope processes are very differentat high cliffs (Skyline Rim) and rounded badland hills(area 42). Since thaw-melting erosion is fast, not land-slides, but debris aprons, erosional valleys or muddy creep-ing caused by winter snow melting are the main surfaceforming factors. Where a caprock layer is present, slopesare dotted with large boulders fallen down from the top ofthe hills.
large areas are pediments: gently sloping erosionalsurfaces, exposing bedrock or covered with a veneer of allu-vium that can be transported off the pediment surface withthe next significant flood event.
Various shaped slopes depending on actual layering of the hills. Upperright: straight slope showing very fast erosion (all debris is trans-portedaway). Upper le: hard rock capped so rock. Lower le: butte. Lower cen-ter: two hard layers at Barsoom Outcrops. Red mudstone and clays cappedby sandstone. Lower right: the same outcrops, topped by a so red and ahard white layer (as peak).
Slopes of Skyline Rim are shaped by several processes. Rock boulders arefalling off om an open gullet, while in one slope fluvial erosion is carvingvalleys into the debris apron. On the other slope, however, mass movementis the main process (with white salt patches). A larger landslide can be ob-served to the le, covering the valley-carved slope, indicating that the land-slide occurred aer the last precipitation-rich period.
Unusual concave forms of slopes North om Sagan Street East
In steep slopes dry sand behaves as fluid.Small moving sand flows could be observed
near the entrance to Lith Canyon.
58
CLIFF RIDGES
ROCK FALLS
Jagged rim of Victoria Crater and onepromontory near Widow’s Peak
Victoria Crater (Opportunity)
Right: Slopes on Mars (Candor Chasma). Lower center: Slope processes:slow mass movements and fast rock falls (note the small figure in middlefor scale). Near Toothy Ridge. Upper le: Phobos Peaks’ conglomeraterocks.
Toothy Ridge: large boulders, near the hab: small pebbles, in collected inerosional valleys
EROSION CYLCLEEroding hilltops: Smooth layers and hard layers. Upper le: Collars of AToothy Ridge. Hard layer is still inside. Upper right: last minutes of theso layer. Lower le: hard layer on surface, eroding in parallel joints, mak-ing a cube-pavement like pattern. If the more resistant grey mudstone layeris happened to be at to top of a mountain, it forms a special cube pavementstructure. e parallel lines are probably pre-formed by joints. Erosioncarves them deeper rapidly. (Toothy Ridge). Lower right: hard layer dis-appearing, slowly falling apart.
1 2
3 4a
4b
Cracking bedrock and individualboulders near Erica’s Hill
CONCRETIONS Blueberries (on Mars). in some of the region (in pathwayto the observatory) small spheres of rock - concretions -can be found. ey are part of the Dakota Sandstone for-mation and composed of rounded, sorted quartz grains(Buttler et al. 2002). its bearing layers are cross-bedded.ey were created by significant volumes of groundwaterflowed through permeable rock. chemical reactions trig-gered minerals (calcite) to precipitate and start formingconcretions, layered, spherical balls. (in utah at Grand Es-calante Staircase nat. Park are large, and are known as“Moki Marbles” - 1 uSD each.) an other way is a biogenicorigin: here the nucleus is a dead organism. Here the car-bonate is of biogenic origin (Buttler et al. 2002) Since theyare very erosion resistant, while the layers that includedthem disappear, they still are on the ground, in a accumu-lating number. However, near the hab, next to the path tothe observatory, small sandstone blueberries were observedand collected which resemble the Martian ones moreclosely.
Blueberries on Mars are cemented/covered byhematite and found in cross-bedded layers produced eitherby fluvial or aeolian processes.
Lower le: Blueberries near the Hab. Upper right: One Blueberry in placeon Mars, in parallelly laminated varv layers (sulfates?). e Martianspherules are made of hematite. Lower right: Collected concretions – guessom where…
One concretion sphere om nearby
Bedrock of concretions, between the hab and the observatory
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SULFATES, SALTSin, white coating on the surface is a recent salt precipita-tion (“salt efflorences”) and is common in Salty Black Hillsand Salty Beige Hills. ese show the possible locations(but not exclusively) of gypsum (caSo4•H2o) occur-rences. Salt is evaporated from groundwater, aer rainy pe-riods.
Gypsum crystals on the Glistening Seas region formselenite, the transparent form of gypsum. are they formingnow or are they being colleted on the surface from olderlayers? ese salts form crystal fields (at Glistening Seas) –selenites are especially clear crystals. at other locationssalts form white patches on hillslopes.
Gypsum crystals like this gave the name to Glistening Seas in the intersec-tion of Brahe and Lowell Highways.
Gypsum crystals at Glistening Seas. Le: Romboid shaped crystals, upperrigh: radially growing crystals, lower right: parallelly lamel-lated crystals.
Fragments of Gypsum in the weathered regolith c. 10 cm under the surfacein a hilltop near Lowell Hwy, Nutella Mtn.
A sample om the Glistening Seas, 200x magn.
Gypsum crystals looking like adesert rose - but in a different
form.
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Paleo gypsum layers in one of the deep canyon walls.
Lower le: Spirit (Mars), Husband Hill (sulfates), upper le: salt precipi-tation at Mid Planita, right: Skyline Rim debris apron / talus slopes cov-ered by efflorescing salts
Up: „Gertrude Weise”, a patch of soil rich in sulfates with noncrystallinequartz (silica). It was formed in wet environment. (Spirit) Down: Spiritphoto of Salts in soil
Soil layers under the weathered surface to roughly 30 cm: an upper saltylayer and greenish colour lenses of a modified material (in anoxic condi-tions). e uppermost part of the soil is the few cm thick weathered surface(espevially in slopes); there is a fine grained sediment under this cover anda very hard surface at about 20-30 cm.
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DESERT VARNISH Desert varnish (=rock patina / desert patina / desert lac-quer) is a thin hard crust on the surface of rocks, pebblesand, sometimes, ground. Desert varnish may also be calledcryptobiotic crust or biological soil crust.
it is a coating (patina) of manganese, iron and clayson the surface of sun-baked boulders (named so aer thedark surface coating of rocks).
its thickness varies according to the ruggedness of thesurface, its exposure to the sun, and to wind abrasion. itscolor is usually black or dark red, according to its man-ganese and iron content, which is coming from wind-en-trained dust.
Desert varnish is formed by colonies of microscopicbacteria living on the rock surface for thousands of years.Manganese is attached to the rock by lichens and bacteria.ey grow on particles of clay and aquire energy from theoxi-dation of manganese during the short humid periodswhen they become active.
e bacteria absorb trace amounts of manganese andiron from the atmosphere and precipitate it as a black layerof manganese oxide or reddish iron oxide on the rock sur-faces.
Manganese is absorbed into the clay minerals staysput and is retained among the internal spaces of crys-talline mesh. So this thin layer also includes cemented clayparticles which help to shield the bacteria against desicca-tion, ex-treme heat and intense solar radiation.Varnish thusprotects bacteria from the dry conditions of the desert sur-face. Desert varnish is dated 30,000 years old on rocks inutah deserts (Stoppato and Bini 2003). using cosmogenic3He exposure age dating, desert pavement in the capitolReef area is estimated 100-150 000 years old.
although lichens can also withstand extreme envi-ronmental conditions, they generally cannot survive as wellon the dry, sun-baked boulders where desert varnish mi-crobes flourish. Rock lichens come in a variety of brightcolors, from red, orange and yellow to brilliant shades ofgreen. (desertusa 2008)
DURICRUSTDesert crust (duricrust) is a hard layer resistant to erosion,on the surface, made of the debris cemented by minerals ofthe soil or the minerals themselves. landis et al. (2004)suggested that the ‘‘duricrust’’ observed on Mars. e‘‘duricrust’’ exposed in the track of the Spirit rover couldbe a salt-cemented soil. Small rocks are commonly seenpressed through the duricrust by the rover wheel, (landiset al., 2004) which implies that the subsurface ground iseasily compressible. is behaviour may again be explainedas a result of salt activity producing pore spaces under theduricrust. a similar feature is observed in terrestrial areaswere salt activity produces duricrust ( Jagoutz 2006).
Rock platina sample, 200x magn.
VEGETATIONTrue badland areas are free of vegetation. limiting factorsare little water and high salinity.
Where found, vegetation is dominated by salt desertshrub grazed by livestock in the area ( Jacob 2005). cactiare common in the sandy areas. Where soil can form,scarce vegetation is present. continuous vegetation cover isnot present because of the small amount of water availablefor the plants: they need a large area for their roots to col-lect water. in T-Rex canyon (and other places) patches ofgrass are also cores of small sand dunes (wind tails). Soil isremoved in between.
near the hab EEvveenniinngg pprriimmrroossee (oenothera) is pres-ent blooming in april. ese flowers are always in an ele-vated ground probably “islands” of undisturbed soilformation, while in lower grounds flash floods remove soil.
Evening primroses are herbaceous plants that inhabitsandy or gravelly hillsides. eir flowers are white or yel-low, with four petals and four sepals. Most of them bloomat night (while relative humidity is higher – 10-20% vsdaytime 5-10%) and are pollinated by moths. ey gener-ally fade the next morning. When they open, the flowersare snowy white, but they turn pink with age and fadewhen the morning sun strikes them. Within utah, White-stemmed evening primrose (o. albicaulis) occurs only inthe southeastern region and is distinguished by dimorphicleaves; leaves in the basal rosette are more or less shallowlylobed, whereas the stem leaves are deeply cle. Pale eveningprimrose occurs throughout the state, has a stem with peel-
ing epidermis, and leaves that are generally similar regard-less of their position on the plant (andersen 1996).
DDeesseerrtt ttrruummppeett (E. inflatum) is so named for its in-teresting waxy, bluish-green inflated stems. it bloomes islate spring (andersen 1996).
Winds carry ttuummbblleewweeeedd in the area and accumulatethem in the foot of the luv side of cliffs (Esp. in the north-ern side of Hwy 24).
a tumbleweed is a shrub of the genus Salsola. eplant has between 100 and 130 species native to areas ofEurope, africa, and asia. Tumbleweeds colonize new areasby breaking from their roots in the fall and scattering seedas they are blown about by the wind.
Salsola tragus and other tumbleweed species were un-
Cacti are abundant in higher lying sandy areas ( for example near CactusRoad).
Evening primose near the hab
Desert trumpet near Sagan Street’s East
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intentionally brought to america in the 19th century byukrainian farmers. e tumbleweed became ubiquitous inthe american West and consequently became associatedwith that area in the public consciousness. in Westernsongs and later in film, the tumbleweed emerged as a sym-bol of boredom, desolation, emptiness, and aimless wan-dering.
Tumbleweed is a very hardy plant, as it is resistant tosalt and drought and is able to spread its seed over vastareas. e plant is able to procreate so well through thismethod that its seeds have not developed the protectivecoating or food stores seen in most other plants. in addi-tion, the tumbleweed's taproot, which remains behindwhen the shrub breaks off to tumble through the land-scape, is nearly impossible to destroy and grows a newplant every year.
Tumbleweed is considered an invasive species. it haslittle if any practical uses. ough the united States De-partment of agricul-ture deliberately introduced tumble-weed into some areas of the united States around the turnof the 20th century, in the hope that it could feed cattle intimes of drought, it now classifies the plant as a noxiousweed.
ANIMAL LIFEanthills of harvester ants are part of the landscape.
lizards and jackrabbits can be observed along with othermammals
Tumbleweed found aer windy days in T-Rex Canyon
Evening primose near the hab
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BIOGENIC PATTERNS ON ROCKS
Biogenic patterns were observed on some of the rockscaused by lichens. e color of the lichens vary from blueto green to pink.
Pink lichens near Phobos Peak
Blue Lichens near the entrance of Lith Canyon
Lichen sample, 40x magn.Orange colored microbal life (?) om 20 cm under the surface, om thebroMken bedrock, under the weathered dry mud cover
Le: lychens on the bottom ofa pedestal rock near PhobosPeak
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DDootttteedd rroocckkss.. it is still and opern question whetherothe dots in/on "polka dotted rock" are of biological ori-gin or not.
e most ambiguous results came from the microbi-oloogical analysis of these “polka-dotted rocks” that couldbe find only on the start of Sagan Road (near the pot-holes). e first results were negative, but aer 3-6 days ofincubating, positive results came: strangely, not only red orspots appeared as was usual on the TVc agar, but spots ofthree colors: yellow, pale red and neutral ones.
e samples were observed through microscope: itseems as if something would “eat” the rocks on the dottedparts which are surficial but sometimes have some depthinto the rock.
Two polka-dotted surface, whener biogenic origin is a question. Polka-dot-ted rocks (up), dark dune spots on Mars (down)
Aer 6 days of incubating,dotted rock sample shows yel-low, pale red and neutral col-
ored spots (TVC agar)
Polka-dotted rock under microscope (10x)
Polka dotted rocks in situ: orange colored rocks show the presence of possiblemicrobes. ese cliffs are nearby potholes and possible solifluction features.
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CHANGE DETECTIONGeomorphic change in present time is very slow in thedeserts of the South-West united States, as shown by thecontinued visibility of tracks le by tanks in World War iitraining grounds in the Sonoran Desert and 100 years ear-lier by wagon wheels along the Spanish trail crossing theMojave Desert (Hunt and Wu 2004).
changes are even slower on Mars. Martian landscapeis characterized by large well rounded boulders and angu-lar rock fragments. larger commonly well rounded boul-ders were emplaced onto gravel plains. aer emplacement,these rocks were fragmented and disassembled. nests ofangular rock fragments are marking the locations of preex-isting larger rocks ( Jagoutz 2006). ere, in the absence ofrecent chemical wea-thering, mass movements, insolationweathering, aeolian processes and salt weathering are theprocesses shaping the landscape.
at the MDRS area, very little change has occuredduring the 2 years between 2006 and 2008 despite of in-tense flooding on late 2006. e maximum change wasthat some rocks are have been flipped or fallen down. Butthe overall appearance of the landscape is unchanged.Since some desert varnish in the area has been dated30,000 years old it is possible that more considerablechanges occur on a thousand-year scale. e badland areaitself is several million years old.
in some places even patterns of shrinkage cracks havenot been changed during the 2 years. Some salt pre-cipita-tion patterns on the ground was also unchanged. falling /moving rocks have been observed on the Toothy Ridgehilltops.
WWee wwoouulldd lliikkee tthhiiss eexxppeerriimmeenntt ttoo ccoonnttiinnuuee wwiitthh tthheessaammee oobbjjeeccttss,, tthheerrffoorree wwee nnaammeedd tthheemm aanndd hhooppee tthhaatt iinnffeeww yyeeaarr’’ss ttiimmee iitt ccaann bbee rreeppeeaatteedd ((ttaakkiinngg ppiiccttuurree ooff tthheessaammee ssiitteess ffrroomm tthhee ssaammee vviieewwppooiinntt))..
JASON’S ROCK516863/4256180/1369m
(top of the hill, Toothy Ridge) a small rock which used tobe its partial support has been re-moved
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GIANT’S TOES516863/4256180/1368m
one piece of rock was broken; the weathering eroded a lit-tle more soil from the toes (on the foot of Jason’s Rock)
CRACKING TABLE in lith canyon, towards T-Rex canyon: no apparentchange
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TOOTHY RIDGE HILLTOP516853/4256222 /1360m
Some rocks have been fallen/flipped
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WHITE MUSHROOM FIELD 0518642/4250939/1374mShrinkage cracks, and even pattern of surface salt precipita-tion had no apparent change: it did not disappear, norchanged its extent in 2 years. Similar shape features are in-
terpreted as anhydrite nodules (clarke) explaining the saltprecipitation phenomena around.
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CHANGE DETECTION– THE AREAL VIEWusing satellite and airborn imagery it is possible to get anoverview of the whole area to look for changes. images areavailable in high (1 m) resolution as black and white or-thoquad photomaps (uSGS Skyline Rime quadrangle).e B&W film images were taken in 1993. 09. 03. forcompari-son we have used recent color satellite or airbornimages available in the (c) Google Earth data-base, takenaer 2002.
in general, there is has been no change in the perod of>10 years between the 2 images were taken. changes hasbeen observed in the following places:
MDRS HAB SITE
518224/4250718
there was no change except for the appearance of theHabitate building.
WHITE DEPOSIT 517270/4252430East of Schiaparelli Hwy salt or white deposit at
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DARK DEPOSITS have disappeared since 1993 in this image. lowell Hwy(Ham Hillock) is in the cen-ter of the image(518815/4252641).
NECK CUTOFFMuddy creak as the only permanent river in the areachanged its path probably aer a flooding. is imageshows the creek next to the Dead End of lowell Hwy(520906/4257135). a branch (channel) flowing to thenorth has been widened considerably. e new channel iscovered with bright deposit. e river have cut this mean-der, creating a new oxbow-lake.
nneeww ooxxbbooww llaakkee
nneeww lleevvééee
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MEANDER BEND GROWTH
an other bend of Muddy creak (518433/4257276) whichchanged its path: it is more mature now that 10 years be-fore.
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NOMENCLATURElandforms, as in Earth must have place names. is makesastronaut conversations, geologic descriptions etc. mucheasier, faster and more precise. at MDRS previous crewsnamed several surface features. crew 1 named 27 surfacefeatures, crew 5 named 31 features, crew 37 named 66 fea-tures, while our crew named 43 features, totaling 168named features in the area. e other crews did not extendthe nomenclature. We have established a nomenclaturedatabase (an excel file) which lists the names, coordinates,origin of names and other data of the surface features. enaming is in most cases follow similar rules to that used byapollo astronauts in the close vicinity of the landing sites.names are chosen aer the shape of features (for exampleanimals), if something happened there, or for a crewmem-ber, or crewmembers relatives (wife, children, parents etc.).
We have created a map that displays all named fea-tures, main roads and some additional comments related toa specific geographic area, using the orthophotomaps ofuSGS.
We have developed a polar coordinate system center-ing the hab. e longitudes are in hours (0-24, 0 beingnorth), the latitudes are in km. is would give a very easyto use coordinate system, but only if we do not move thehab. if a Martian expedition would use a pressurized roveras hab, this coordinate system would not be appropriate.Since our GPSs can not use this system, we used uTMnaD 27 in all maps.
We have found that - features of interest has to be named, since this way
they are more easily found, remembered, verbalizede best type of names are meaningful. ey - use color, shape, resemblance (Striped Dragon) - use personal names related to the crewmembers (Es-
zter’s Hill)- are descriptive ones that tell why the point is impor-
tant (fossil field)(Hargitai et al. 2007)
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