Terrestrial rock glaciers: a potential analog for Martian lobate flow features (LFF)

Rishitosh K. Sinha; Sivaprahasam Vijayan; Rajiv R. Bharti

doi:10.1117/12.2223675

13 May 2016 Terrestrial rock glaciers: a potential analog for Martian lobate flow features (LFF)

Rishitosh K. Sinha, Sivaprahasam Vijayan, Rajiv R. Bharti

Proceedings Volume 9877, Land Surface and Cryosphere Remote Sensing III; 98770K (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2223675
Event: SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing, 2016, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Rock glaciers, regarded as cryospheric ice/water resource in the terrestrial-glacial systems based on their tongue/lobate-shaped flow characteristic and subsurface investigation using ground-penetrating radar. We examined the subsurface, geomorphology, climate-sensitivity and thermophysical properties of a Lobate Flow Feature (LFF) on Mars (30°-60° N and S hemispheres) to compare/assess the potentials of rock glaciers as an analog in suggesting LFFs to be a source of subsurface ice/water. LFFs are generally observed at the foot of impact craters’ wall. HiRISE/CTX imageries from MRO spacecraft were used for geomorphological investigation of LFF using ArcMap-10.0 and subsurface investigation was carried out using data from MRO-SHARAD (shallow radar) after integrating with SiesWare-8.0. ENVI-5.0 was used to retrieve thermophysical properties of LFF from nighttime datasets (12.57 μm) acquired by THEMIS instrument-onboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft and derive LFFs morphometry from MOLA altimeter point tracks onboard MGS spacecraft. Integrating crater chronology tool (Craterstats) with Arc Map, we have derived the formation age of LFF. Our investigation and comparison of LFF to rock glaciers revealed: (1) LFFs have preserved ice at depth ~50m as revealed from SHARAD radargram and top-layer composed of rocky-debris material with thermal inertia (~300-350 Jm^-2 K^-1s-^1/2). (2) LFF formation age (~10-100 Ma) corresponds to moderate scale debris covered glaciation of a shorter-span suggesting high sensitivity to obliquity-driven climatic shifts. (3) Presence of polygon cracks and high linear-arcuate furrow-and-ridges on the surface indicates presence of buried ice. This work is a significant step towards suggesting LFF to be a potential source of present-day stored ice/water on Mars.

Citation Download Citation

Rishitosh K. Sinha, Sivaprahasam Vijayan, and Rajiv R. Bharti "Terrestrial rock glaciers: a potential analog for Martian lobate flow features (LFF)", Proc. SPIE 9877, Land Surface and Cryosphere Remote Sensing III, 98770K (13 May 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2223675

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
12 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Mars

Climatology

Analog electronics

Radar

Environmental sensing

Space operations

Climate change

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years