Microclimate governs the morphology of sediment flows on Mars.

ABSTRACT: Landforms created by flowing water with sediment have left deposits on the surface of Mars, allowing study of the ancient environment. These features could provide constraints on surface water activity and past habitability. However, only a few lab studies have investigated the appearance and behavior of sediment-rich flows at relevant Mars surface conditions. We conducted experiments in a Mars environment chamber to understand the rheology and deposit morphology of mud under atmospheric pressures from 5 to 1000 mbar and surface temperatures between 248 and 297 K. We found that sediment flows in the Noachian era, when most aqueous activity occurred, could behave similarly to Earth analogs, but only under certain climate conditions. However, in the Hesperian and Amazonian periods, the domin

SUBMITTER: Adler JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12552117 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature