Evaluation of wet and dry recurring slope lineae (RSL) formation mechanisms based on quantitative mapping of RSL in Garni Crater, Valles Marineris, Mars

Icarus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 335 ◽  
pp. 113420 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Stillman ◽  
Brian D. Bue ◽  
Kiri L. Wagstaff ◽  
Katherine M. Primm ◽  
Tim I. Michaels ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aharon Adam ◽  
Itai Haviv ◽  
Dan G. Blumberg ◽  
Shimrit Maman ◽  
Amit Mushkin

<p>Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) are dynamic, low-albedo, slope-parallel surface features on Mars that occur mainly on steep (>25°) slopes. RSL typically display seasonal dynamics as they appear during late Martian spring, progressively grow during summer, and subsequently fade as summer ends. RSL formation mechanisms remain under debate with proposed mechanisms involving either water/brines (‘wet theories’) vs. dry granular flows within a surficial dust layer (‘dry theories’). In an attempt to distinguish between plausible RSL mechanisms, this study compares the topographic and morphologic characteristics of hillslopes with and without RSL. We suggest that a distinct topographic signature for RSL hillslopes would argue against the ‘dry’ RSL mechanisms, as RSL dynamics within a thin dust layer are not expected to significantly impact the hillslope-scale topography. In contrast, the presence of fluids on RSL hillslopes could conceivably accelerate rock weathering rates, which in turn may impact the hillslope-scale topography. Our analyses are based on HiRISE, CTX and HRSC digital terrain models (DTMs) together with geomorphic mapping using high-resolution orbital images. We focus on inner crater hillslopes and compare the topographic characteristics of RSL vs. non-RSL slopes. In addition, in order to account for the potential influence of aspect-dependent solar irradiation on hillslope processes, we also applied our analysis on adjacent ‘control’ craters that are devoid of RSL activity. Preliminary results from Palikir (-41.6°/ 202.1°E) and Rauna (35.2°/ 328°E) craters reveal that the topographic slope distribution along crater walls with RSL activity is distinct from the slope distribution along crater walls which are devoid of RSL activity. Our results appear to support increased rock-weathering rates on crater walls that presently experience RSL activity.</p><p> </p><p> </p>


Icarus ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 285 ◽  
pp. 195-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Stillman ◽  
Timothy I. Michaels ◽  
Robert E. Grimm

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Tao ◽  
Jan-Peter Muller ◽  
Susan Conway

<p>Recurring Slope Lineae (RSLs) are metre- to decametre-wide dark streaks found on steep slopes, which lengthen downslope during the warmest times of the year, fading during the cooler periods and reappearing again in the next Martian year. This behaviour has been linked to the action of liquid water, but as liquid water is thermodynamically unstable under current martian conditions this interpretation is under vigorous debate. A better understanding of the formation process of RSLs is therefore fundamental to constraining Mars’ water budget and habitability. One of the key components for studying the RSL process is accurate knowledge of the slopes and aspects.</p><p> </p><p>The Valles Marineris (VM) area has the highest concentration of RSLs found on Mars as well as being a location where the triple point of water can be reached during the Martian summertime. This study focuses on multi-resolution 3D mapping of the whole VM area with all digital terrain models (DTMs) vertically referenced to the global standard Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) surface. A multi-resolution DTM has been generated consisting of 82 Mars Express High Resolution Camera (HRSC) 50m DTMs and 1763 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context Camera (CTX) 18m DTMs which will be presented. For 3 selected study areas (Coprates Montes, Capri Mensa, Nectaris Montes), terrain corrected and co-registered MRO High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE; at 0.25m), Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM; at 20/50m) and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS; at 2.5m) colour images and associated DTMs will be discussed.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Acknowledgements</strong></p><p>The research leading to these results is receiving funding from the UKSA Aurora programme (2018-2021) under grant no. ST/S001891/1.</p>


Author(s):  
B. Cunningham ◽  
D.G. Ast

There have Been a number of studies of low-angle, θ < 4°, [10] tilt boundaries in the diamond lattice. Dislocations with Burgers vectors a/2<110>, a/2<112>, a<111> and a<001> have been reported in melt-grown bicrystals of germanium, and dislocations with Burgers vectors a<001> and a/2<112> have been reported in hot-pressed bicrystals of silicon. Most of the dislocations were found to be dissociated, the dissociation widths being dependent on the tilt angle. Possible dissociation schemes and formation mechanisms for the a<001> and a<111> dislocations from the interaction of lattice dislocations have recently been given.The present study reports on the dislocation structure of a 10° [10] tilt boundary in chemically vapor deposited silicon. The dislocations in the boundary were spaced about 1-3nm apart, making them difficult to resolve by conventional diffraction contrast techniques. The dislocation structure was therefore studied by the lattice-fringe imaging technique.


Author(s):  
Eal H. Lee ◽  
Helmut Poppa

The formation of thin films of gold on mica has been studied in ultra-high vacuum (5xl0-10 torr) . The mica substrates were heat-treated for 24 hours at 375°C, cleaved, and annealed for 15 minutes at the deposition temperature of 300°C prior to deposition. An impingement flux of 3x1013 atoms cm-2 sec-1 was used. These conditions were found to give high number densities of multiple twin particles and are based on a systematic series of nucleation experiments described elsewhere. Individual deposits of varying deposition time were made and examined by bright and dark field TEM after "cleavage preparation" of highly transparent specimens. In the early stages of growth, the films generally consist of small particles which are either single crystals or multiply twinned; a strong preference for multiply twinned particles was found whenever the particle number densities were high. Fig. 1 shows the stable cluster density ns and the variation with deposition time of multiple twin particle and single crystal particle densities, respectively. Corresponding micrographs and diffraction patterns are shown in Fig. 2.


Author(s):  
Д.А. Юрченко ◽  
М.Е. Миньженкова ◽  
Е.Л. Дадали ◽  
Н.В. Шилова

Синдром инвертированной дупликации короткого плеча хромосомы 8 со смежной терминальной делециенй (inv dup del(8p), ORPHA 96092) - редкая хромосомная аномалия (ХА) с частотой 1/10000-1/30000 живорожденных. В статье представлены клинические и молекулярно-цитогенетические характеристики двух неродственных пациентов с синдромом inv dup del(8p) и уточнены механизмы формирования хромосомного дисбаланса. Inverted duplication deletion 8p syndrome (inv dup del(8p), ORPHA 96092) is a rare chromosomal abnormality with a frequency of 1:10,000 - 30,000 newborns. Clinical manifestations of this syndrome include mental retardation, facial anomalies, hypoplasia/agenesis of corpus callosum, scoliosis and/or kyphosis, hypotonia, congenital heart defects. The article presents the clinical and molecular cytogenetic characteristics of two patients with inv dup del (8p) syndrome and clarifies the formation mechanisms.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Ewen ◽  
Carlos Ayestaran Latorre ◽  
Arash Khajeh ◽  
Joshua Moore ◽  
Joseph Remias ◽  
...  

<p>Phosphate esters have a wide range of industrial applications, for example in tribology where they are used as vapour phase lubricants and antiwear additives. To rationally design phosphate esters with improved tribological performance, an atomic-level understanding of their film formation mechanisms is required. One important aspect is the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters on steel surfaces, since this initiates film formation. In this study, ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters with different substituents on several ferrous surfaces. On Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) and α-Fe(110), chemisorption interactions between the phosphate esters and the surfaces occur even at room temperature, and the number of molecule-surface bonds increases as the temperature is increased from 300 to 1000 K. Conversely, on hydroxylated, amorphous Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, most of the molecules are physisorbed, even at high temperature. Thermal decomposition rates were much higher on Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) and particularly α-Fe(110) compared to hydroxylated, amorphous Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>. This suggests that water passivates ferrous surfaces and inhibits phosphate ester chemisorption, decomposition, and ultimately film formation. On Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001), thermal decomposition proceeds mainly through C-O cleavage (to form surface alkyl and aryl groups) and C-H cleavage (to form surface hydroxyls). The onset temperature for C-O cleavage on Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(001) increases in the order: tertiary alkyl < secondary alkyl < primary linear alkyl ≈ primary branched alkyl < aryl. This order is in agreement with experimental observations for the thermal stability of antiwear additives with similar substituents. The results highlight surface and substituent effects on the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters which should be helpful for the design of new molecules with improved performance.</p>


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