MORPHOMETRY OF ALLUVIAL FANS IN A POLAR DESERT (SVALBARD, NORWAY): IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERPRETING MARTIAN FANS.

• Alluvial fan-like landforms have been identified on Mars. Since alluvial fans are recorders of processes that are sensitive to climatic conditions, the investigation of possible Martian fans can reveal information about the planet`s climate. In lieu of direct observations of active depositional processes on Martian fans, comparisons with terrestrial analogues can constrain models of Martian fan formation derived from remote sensing data. Since present-day Mars is cold and dry, alluvial fans formed in cold deserts should be considered as useful analogues. The probably closest climatic analogue to Mars on Earth are the Antarctic Dry Valleys , but polar deserts can also be found in the Arctic. We report on our field work in summer 2008 and a simultaneous flight campaign with an airborne version (HRSC-AX) of the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard Mars Express. The results are compared with measurements of Martian fans, based on HRSC DEM.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Naturgeografi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Physical Geography (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Mars

periglacial

permafrost

Svalbard

alluvial fan

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