Origin of Small Valley Network Systems on Mars

Drainage Basins in Margaritifer Sinus defined via stereo mapping with Viking Orbiter Images.

CEPS Staff: Dr. John Grant

Models for the origin of small valley network systems in the Margaritifer Sinus region of Mars are being tested through study of topographically defined drainage basins. When combined with evaluation of degraded crater morphologies, this approach helps define relationships between valley and channel forming events within the framework of the geologic evolution of the planet. The results will shed new light on the history of past surface-atmosphere interactions on Mars, place new limits on the evolution of the planet's hydrologic cycle, and identify potential sedimentary deposits suitable for future investigations for life. This effort is funded by NASA's Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program.

Gridded MOLA data for Parana Basin

Project Abstracts:
The History of Water Discharge in the Margaritifer Sinus region of Mars (1.7M PDF)
Valley Evolution in Margaritifer Sinus, Mars (90k PDF)

Dr. Grant's Homepage

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