The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars

The morphology, distribution, geologic environment and relative age of large-scale polygonal trough systems on Mars are examined. The troughs are steep-walled, flat-floored, sinuous depressions typically 200-800 m wide, 20-120 m deep and spaced 5-10 km apart. The mechanics of formation of tension cr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pechmann, J. C.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
Published: 1980
Subjects:
91
permafrost
Online Access:http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800058152
id ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19800058152
record_format openpolar
spelling ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19800058152 2023-05-15T17:57:10+02:00 The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars Pechmann, J. C. Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available May 1, 1980 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800058152 unknown http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800058152 Accession ID: 80A42322 Copyright Other Sources 91 Icarus; 42; May 1980 1980 ftnasantrs 2012-02-15T14:21:49Z The morphology, distribution, geologic environment and relative age of large-scale polygonal trough systems on Mars are examined. The troughs are steep-walled, flat-floored, sinuous depressions typically 200-800 m wide, 20-120 m deep and spaced 5-10 km apart. The mechanics of formation of tension cracks is reviewed to identify the factors controlling the scale of tension crack systems; special emphasis is placed on thermal cracking in permafrost. It is shown that because of the extremely large scale of the Martian fracture systems, they could not have formed by thermal cracking in permafrost, dessication cracking in sediments or contraction cracking in cooling lava. On the basis of photogeologic evidence and analog studies, it is proposed that polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars are grabens. Other/Unknown Material permafrost NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
institution Open Polar
collection NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
op_collection_id ftnasantrs
language unknown
topic 91
spellingShingle 91
Pechmann, J. C.
The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
topic_facet 91
description The morphology, distribution, geologic environment and relative age of large-scale polygonal trough systems on Mars are examined. The troughs are steep-walled, flat-floored, sinuous depressions typically 200-800 m wide, 20-120 m deep and spaced 5-10 km apart. The mechanics of formation of tension cracks is reviewed to identify the factors controlling the scale of tension crack systems; special emphasis is placed on thermal cracking in permafrost. It is shown that because of the extremely large scale of the Martian fracture systems, they could not have formed by thermal cracking in permafrost, dessication cracking in sediments or contraction cracking in cooling lava. On the basis of photogeologic evidence and analog studies, it is proposed that polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars are grabens.
format Other/Unknown Material
author Pechmann, J. C.
author_facet Pechmann, J. C.
author_sort Pechmann, J. C.
title The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
title_short The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
title_full The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
title_fullStr The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
title_full_unstemmed The origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of Mars
title_sort origin of polygonal troughs on the northern plains of mars
publishDate 1980
url http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800058152
op_coverage Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available
genre permafrost
genre_facet permafrost
op_source Other Sources
op_relation http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800058152
Accession ID: 80A42322
op_rights Copyright
_version_ 1766165543980630016

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