火星の古代海洋の可能性:火星軌道探査機 (Mars Orbiter) のレーザー高度計データから得られた証拠
J W Head1, H Hiesinger, M A Ivanov
1Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
まとめ
高解像度のデータは,火星の海岸線が北の低地にあることを示唆しています. この古代の海岸線は,大きな水域と一致しており,その下にはテラスと滑らかな地形が特徴です.
科学分野:
- 惑星科学は惑星科学である.
- 地質学 地質学 地質学
- 水文学 水文学とは
背景:
- 火星の北部の低地には複雑な地形があります.
- 以前の仮説は,火星の中世の歴史に大規模な水体が存在していたことを示唆しています.
研究 の 目的:
- 火星の北部の低地における高解像度測定データを分析するために.
- この地域の古代の海岸線の仮説を評価するために.
主な方法:
- 高解像度高度測定データを活用して,火星の地形をマッピングしました.
- 提案された接触線に対する地質学的特徴と地形的な変動を分析した.
主要な成果:
- 北部の低地を取り囲む明確な地質的な接触が特定されました.
- 接触点の高さは等電位直線と一致する.
- 接触点の下の地形は,接触点上の地形よりもかなり滑らかです.
- 広大なテラスは,多くの場所で接触に並行しています.
- 推定水量は,火星に関する以前の推定値と一致しています.
結論:
- 確認された地質学的接触は,古代の火星の海岸線という仮説を強く支持しています.
- この海岸線は,火星の歴史の中期に存在した,大きく安定した水域の境界線を示している可能性が高い.
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