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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Earth Sciences

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University of South Florida

2017

Mars

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Martian Cave Air-Movement Via Helmholtz Resonance, Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris H. Okubo, Glen E. Cushing Oct 2017

Martian Cave Air-Movement Via Helmholtz Resonance, Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris H. Okubo, Glen E. Cushing

International Journal of Speleology

Infrasonic resonance has previously been measured in terrestrial caves by other researchers, where Helmholtz resonance has been suggested as the plausible mechanism resulting in periodic wind reversals within cave entrances. We extend this reasoning to possible Martian caves, where we examine the characteristics of four atypical pit craters (APCs) on Tharsis, suggested as candidate cave entrance locations. The results show that, for several possible cave air movement periods, we are able to infer the approximate cave volumes. The utility of inferring cave volumes for planetary cave exploration is discussed.


Possible Evaporite Karst In An Interior Layered Deposit In Juventae Chasma, Mars, Davide Baioni, Mario Tramontana May 2017

Possible Evaporite Karst In An Interior Layered Deposit In Juventae Chasma, Mars, Davide Baioni, Mario Tramontana

International Journal of Speleology

This paper describes karst landforms observed in an interior layered deposit (ILD) located within Juventae Chasma a trough of the Valles Marineris, a rift system that belongs to the Tharsis region of Mars. The ILD investigated is characterized by spectral signatures of kieserite, an evaporitic mineral present on Earth. A morphologic and morphometric survey of the ILD surface performed on data of the Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) highlighted the presence of depressions of various shapes and sizes. These landforms interpreted as dolines resemble similar karst landforms on Earth and in other regions of Mars. The observed karst …