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Fractal Analysis of Drainage Basins on MarsWe used statistical properties of drainage networks on Mars as a measure of martian landscape morphology and an indicator of landscape evolution processes. We utilize the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data to construct digital elevation maps (DEMs) of several, mostly ancient, martian terrains. Drainage basins and channel networks are computationally extracted from DEMs and their structures are analyzed and compared to drainage networks extracted from terrestrial and lunar DEMs. We show that martian networks are self-affine statistical fractals with planar properties similar to terrestrial networks, but vertical properties similar to lunar networks. The uniformity of martian drainage density is between those for terrestrial and lunar landscapes. Our results are consistent with the roughening of ancient martian terrains by combination of rainfall-fed erosion and impacts, although roughening by other fluvial processes cannot be excluded. The notion of sustained rainfall in recent Mars history is inconsistent with our findings.
Document ID
20030010369
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Stepinski, T. F.
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX United States)
Marinova, M. M.
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA United States)
McGovern, P. J.
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX United States)
Clifford, S. M.
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 29
Issue: 8
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
LPI-Contrib-1112
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASW-4574
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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