Wind-Driven Erosion and Exposure Potential at Mars 2020 Rover Candidate-Landing Sites.

ABSTRACT: Aeolian processes have likely been the predominant geomorphic agent for most of Mars' history and have the potential to produce relatively young exposure ages for geologic units. Thus, identifying local evidence for aeolian erosion is highly relevant to the selection of landing sites for future missions, such as the Mars 2020 Rover mission that aims to explore astrobiologically relevant ancient environments. Here we investigate wind-driven activity at eight Mars 2020 candidate-landing sites to constrain erosion potential at these locations. To demonstrate our methods, we found that contemporary dune-derived abrasion rates were in agreement with rover-derived exhumation rates at Gale crater and could be employed elsewhere. The Holden crater candidate site was interpreted to have low contemp

SUBMITTER: Chojnacki M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5859260 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature