Potentially habitable flow-like features from Martian dry ice geyser dune spots: Difference between revisions

[[File:Flow-like-features.gif|thumb|Flow-like-features|Larger region of the Richardson crater dune field showing the dark dune spots and flow-like features. ]][[File:Flow-like-features detail.gif|thumb|Flow-like-features detail|Detailed zoom into the flow-like features around a small cluster of the spots on the dunes in Richardson Crater, Mars [http://www.google.co.uk/mars/#q=Richardson%20crater&zoom=2 (Richardson crater in Google Mars)]. These dark dune spots are thought to be the debris of the hypothesized [[Geyser (Mars)|Martian Geysers]] and the fingers of the flow like features extend later in the year. The dark material at the end of the flows moves at between 0.1 and 1.4 m/day in late spring / summer on Mars. This example moves approximately 39 meters in 26 days between the last two frames.<br><br>The two main models involve liquid water - either interfacial layers, or else layers of water created through the solid state greenhouse effect. <ref name="MartínezRenno2013DarkDuneSpots"/><ref name=Kereszturi2008>Kereszturi, A., et al. [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2008/pdf/1555.pdf "Analysis of possible interfacial water driven seepages on Mars"], Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Vol. 39. 2008.</ref><br><br>Animation centered on {{coord|72.02|S|179.408|E|globe:Mars}} [http://www.google.co.uk/mars/#lat=-72.02&lon=179.408&zoom=7 (location in Google Mars)]. Displayed region 188.5 meters by 172 meters. Dates of sequence: 19 January (sol 396), 24 January (sol 401), 29 January (sol 406), 10 February (sol 418), and 09 March (sol 444), all in 2009. All taken between 4.10 pm and 4.28 pm in Mars local time.]]

 

 

 

{{quote|There is mounting evidence that while dark spots and FLF form by “dry” gas venting, liquid brines form temporarily on them.}}