The Nature of Martian Flow Ejecta Craters

Ejecta with flow features and discrete termini surround many fresh Martian craters. Several morphologies of the flow-like ejecta are observed; they are found globally and in nearly all terrains. It is suggested that the morphology of flow ejecta craters is related to the amount of subsurface volatiles and/or to atmospheric drag effects. It was attempted to constrain factors which could contribute to the ejecta morphology such as latitude, elevation, and terrain unit, however, they involved only one or two constrained variables or used global data sets based on Mariner 9 information. Viking-based data sets are becoming available and may provide a better base from which an understanding of the factors which governs ejecta morphology may be obtained. Block sizes of Martian flow ejecta may provide clues to the ejecta emplacement process.