Planetary landscapes and the role of volatiles in their making
This thesis concerns the study of planetary landscapes with the objective of understanding the role of volatiles in sculpting these landscapes which falls under the broad theme of planetary geomorphology. A general introduction to planetary geomorphology is followed by a summary of the research topi...
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| Other Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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HAL CCSD
2023
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| Online Access: | https://hal.science/tel-04699791 https://hal.science/tel-04699791v1/document https://hal.science/tel-04699791v1/file/Conway_HDR_2023_final.pdf |
| Summary: | This thesis concerns the study of planetary landscapes with the objective of understanding the role of volatiles in sculpting these landscapes which falls under the broad theme of planetary geomorphology. A general introduction to planetary geomorphology is followed by a summary of the research topics of the candidate since their PhD thesis. The primary focus of this research is on recent martian surface processes, followed by periglacial terrains on Earth and the evolution of the surface of Mercury. Two science questions emerge from this work. 1) What is the role of volatile loss in shaping planetary landscapes and how is that loss triggered/modulated? This thesis reveals that sublimation is an important process on modern Mars, yet the limits of this process are poorly understood. Volatile loss could also be an important contributor to slope processes on other bodies but has been largely overlooked. Equally melting ground ice can lead to catastrophic mass movements in places on Earth where permafrost was not suspected. 2) What are the limits of planetary comparison and in what contexts does insight prevail over misunderstanding? This thesis demonstrates that comparative planetology has been important in providing insight into surface processes on Mercury and on Mars yet studying gullies on Mars has revealed that equifinality can be problematic. Given this context how can planetary bodies be used to learn more about surface processes on Earth? The end of the thesis details the candidate's plans for future work to address these science questions, which entail simulations in the laboratory, analysis of orbital image and topographic data and fieldwork. |
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