Possible open-system (hydraulic) pingos in and around the Argyre impact region of Mars

• Published in: Earth and Planetary Science Letters
• Main Authors: Soare, R.J., Conway, S.J., Dohm, J.M., Elmaarry, Mohamed Ramy
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014
• Subjects: 520 Astronomy; 620 Engineering; 530 Physics; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: https://boris.unibe.ch/66575/1/1-s2.0-S0012821X14002842-main.pdf; https://boris.unibe.ch/66575/

We report the observation of possible (hydraulic) open-system pingos (OSPs ) at the mid latitudes (∼37°S) in and around the Argyre impact-basin. OSPs are perennial (water)–ice cored mounds; they originate and evolve in periglacial and pro-glacial landscapes on Earth where intra- or sub-permafrost water under hydraulic/artesian pressure uplifts localised sections of surface or near-surface permafrost that then freezes in-situ. We invoke three lines of evidence in support of our analogue-based interpretation: (1) similarities of shape, size and summit traits between terrestrial OSPs and the Martian mounds; (2) clustered distribution and the slope-side location of the mounds, consistent with terrestrial permafrost-environments where OSPs are found; and, (3) spatially-associated landforms putatively indicative of periglacial and glacial processes on Mars that characterise OSP landscapes on Earth. This article presents five OSP candidate-locations and nests these mound locations within a new geological map of the Argyre impact-basin and margins. It also presents three periglacial hypotheses about the possible origin of the water required to develop the mounds. Alternative (non-periglacial) formation-hypotheses also are considered; however, we show that their robustness is not equal to that of the periglacial ones.