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Application of Earth-derived geomorphological metrics to identify fan-shaped landforms on Mars
Gezovich, Luke J. Plink-Björklund, Piret Pan, Lu Henry, Jack
Gezovich, Luke J.
Plink-Björklund, Piret
Pan, Lu
Henry, Jack
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2025-04
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Abstract
Martian fan-shaped landforms, especially those near ancient lakes, are key targets for missions due to their biosignature preservation potential and record of past habitability. NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance missions have explored craters with fan-shaped landforms, with Perseverance playing a role in Mars Sample Return. On Earth fan-shaped landforms like deltas, fluvial fans, and alluvial fans have distinct morphologies and form in different sedimentary and environmental settings. Mars is believed to host hundreds of similar landforms. We use Earth-derived metrics to assess the nature of fan-shaped landforms on Mars. Specifically, we compile morphometric datasets - including fan area, catchment area, network branching angle, radial gradient, radial length, and thermal inertia - and compare them to generalized averages for terrestrial deltas, fluvial fans, and alluvial fans. Our analysis utilizes visible imagery, elevation, and thermal inertia data from the CTX, MOLA, and THEMIS Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter instruments. Martian fan-shaped landforms cluster into two distinct groups, suggesting that alluvial fans differ from deltas and fluvial fans concerning landform-to-catchment area ratios. Likely Martian alluvial fans also exhibit steeper gradients, consistent with terrestrial trends. Results indicate that most fan-shaped landforms on Mars are alluvial fans, with several plausible fluvial fans with one likely delta. Channel branching angles emerge as a key distinguisher between Martian deltas and fluvial fans. We emphasize that distinguishing fan-shaped landforms requires numerous metrics. Our analysis of Martian fan-shaped landform morphometrics indicates that similar sedimentary processes occur on both Earth and Mars, offering potential insight into the paleoclimatic conditions during their formation.
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