Thursday, August 4, 2011

Seasonal slope streaks...

observed in Newton Crater on Mars (click image to enlarge) lends further support for flowing saltwater: Mystery Lines on Mars Carved By Water, Study Suggests.

While the phenomenon of slope streaking on crater walls on Mars is not news in and of itself, the periodic, seasonal appearance of these is exceptionally well documented.  Furthermore, this evidence reduces the likelihood that they are a result of a mass wasting mechanism, such as dry grain flow.  Very exciting stuff, for a geek.

More at the JPL web site, and here's the technical abstract.

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