Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes
Abstract Martian gully landforms are widely seen as evidence of liquid water, often attributed to snowmelt during high‐obliquity periods within the last few million years. However, widespread present‐day flows within existing gullies are caused by CO2 frost, presenting an alternative formation mecha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112434 |
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| author | Colin M. Dundas Susan J. Conway Kelly Pasquon Axel Noblet Lonneke Roelofs |
| author_facet | Colin M. Dundas Susan J. Conway Kelly Pasquon Axel Noblet Lonneke Roelofs |
| author_sort | Colin M. Dundas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Martian gully landforms are widely seen as evidence of liquid water, often attributed to snowmelt during high‐obliquity periods within the last few million years. However, widespread present‐day flows within existing gullies are caused by CO2 frost, presenting an alternative formation mechanism. Entrained frost vapourizes to fluidize flows, allowing them to behave similarly to wet debris flows on Earth. The slopes where present‐day flows erode and deposit provide insights into the landforms that many such flows could create. The shallowest slopes eroded by the flows are similar to slopes at existing channel mouths, and the most mobile flows reach final slopes similar to the outer reaches of existing gully aprons. This is consistent with formation of gullies entirely by CO2 frost‐driven flows, assuming their intensity and frequency varies in space and time. Geologically recent snowmelt cannot be ruled out, but is not required to explain the observed gully morphology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5474177606940ee9377fbe8e3614701 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5474177606940ee9377fbe8e36147012025-08-20T03:21:32ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-01529n/an/a10.1029/2024GL112434Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization ProcessesColin M. Dundas0Susan J. Conway1Kelly Pasquon2Axel Noblet3Lonneke Roelofs4U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center Flagstaff AZ USANantes Université—Université d'Angers—Le Mans Université CNRS UMR 6112 Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences Nantes FranceNantes Université—Université d'Angers—Le Mans Université CNRS UMR 6112 Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences Nantes FranceNantes Université—Université d'Angers—Le Mans Université CNRS UMR 6112 Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences Nantes FranceDepartment of Physical Geography Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht The NetherlandsAbstract Martian gully landforms are widely seen as evidence of liquid water, often attributed to snowmelt during high‐obliquity periods within the last few million years. However, widespread present‐day flows within existing gullies are caused by CO2 frost, presenting an alternative formation mechanism. Entrained frost vapourizes to fluidize flows, allowing them to behave similarly to wet debris flows on Earth. The slopes where present‐day flows erode and deposit provide insights into the landforms that many such flows could create. The shallowest slopes eroded by the flows are similar to slopes at existing channel mouths, and the most mobile flows reach final slopes similar to the outer reaches of existing gully aprons. This is consistent with formation of gullies entirely by CO2 frost‐driven flows, assuming their intensity and frequency varies in space and time. Geologically recent snowmelt cannot be ruled out, but is not required to explain the observed gully morphology.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112434MarsCO2 frostgulliesclimategeomorphologyliquid water |
| spellingShingle | Colin M. Dundas Susan J. Conway Kelly Pasquon Axel Noblet Lonneke Roelofs Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes Geophysical Research Letters Mars CO2 frost gullies climate geomorphology liquid water |
| title | Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes |
| title_full | Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes |
| title_fullStr | Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes |
| title_short | Properties of New Flows Indicate that Martian Gullies Form via CO2 Frost‐Fluidization Processes |
| title_sort | properties of new flows indicate that martian gullies form via co2 frost fluidization processes |
| topic | Mars CO2 frost gullies climate geomorphology liquid water |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112434 |
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