a visual case for contemporary formation of some rocks on mars
DESCRIPTION
This is a powerpoint presentation intended to illustrate some speculations I've been making on the MarsRoverBlog site. The speculation is that a number of images from the MSL Curiosity site can be interpreted as suggesting that "debris flows" are centrally involved in a contemporary production of layers downslope from certain rocks in Gale crater, Mars.The layers are formed by accretion of material from debris flows that arise from outflows from under rocks on slopes in gale crater.TRANSCRIPT
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A VISUAL CASE FOR CONTEMPORAR
FORMATION OF ROCKS AT SOMESITES ON MARS
FROM DEBRIS FLOWS TO TERRACES TO ROCKS
LYALL WINSTON SMALL
NOVEMBER 2015
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I think there is a remarkable ongoing process of rock formation that is occurring on the
The process is in clear view in several images from the MER and MSL rovers and ap
most active process on Mars surface today but seems to be somehow invisible to
This presentation, albiet with no geology underpinning, is an attempt to elicit reaso
positive comments on the above from fellow MRB posters.
The process appears to be made up of the following elements:
a dark fluid flows down the slopes from underneath some rocks on elevated slopes
The fluid congeals into a characteristic shape not far from where it originated
More episodes of fluid expression leads to buildup of characteristically shaped lamina
Groups of laminae form terraces downslope from the rocks where the flows origina
Terraces develop into rock formations. Veins are probably involved in this process
The cycle probably continues with new flows from below new rock formations
process which must have a renewable energy source besides wind or gravity to
decades and millennia.
This alternative explanation suggests that such rocks on Mars are younger than currentl
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THE DEBRIS FLOWS
The process starts with d
flows emerging from un
relatively high up slopes o
or craters.
GIF animations of the flow
the drilling process of so
Smugmug photosite, eg:-https://lws.smugmug.com/Other/MSL-Curio
h3r9xSR/0/O/0615%20soil%20slips-crop3-x2
The slide shows a phase where the subsurface flo
covered by broken crust
All images in this presentation a
Curiosity raw images archives o
Sol 627; 0627MH0003900000203473E01
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DEBRIS FLOWS EV POR TE ND FORMS SOLID RESIDU
This is a close-up imag
flow. Note the charac
the leading edges of th
remnants of the flow. characteristic of the su
several rocks and othe
surface of Mars.
The flows characterist
under a rock where th
protective soil crust is
Several examples of flo
imaged by all Mars ro
from the rover sugges
movement is not the o
triggers the phenomenSol 585; 0584MR0024410000400355E01_DXXX
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DEBRIS FLOWS EV POR TE ND FORMS SOLID RESIDUE
This is an area on the
displays several flows
shapes gives some idemight have been form
They are formed
after sublimation o
They emerge from
They emerge from
by hardened earlie The flows are not
wind erosion but
and other attribut
Sol 574; 0574ml2329006000e1_dxxx
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RESIDUE BUILDS UP TO FORM L MIN E
New debris flows
under rocks and som
older solidified flow
building up laminar l
under existing earlie
remnants. These re
characteristic textur
Note
The origins of th
Note the differetexture of the so
the normal soil s
liquid appearanc
Note the accreti
the beginnings oSol 1155; 1155MR0052190280601933E01_DXXX
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RESIDUE BUILDS UP TO FORM L MIN E
This slide shows the ty
conformation of the d
be seen in what appea
chemical induration orflows.
Note
The appearance of
liquid flows into th
the foreground sit
existing similarly te The V-shaped lead
on adjacent sides o
foreground sugges
a result of fluid act
erosion of some ty
Sol 1033; 1033MR0045210160304175E01_DXXX
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RESIDUE BUILDS UP TO FORM L MIN E
This slide shows the c
and texture of the indu
placement downslope
underneath which they
It also shows the prese
flows in the vicinity.
The alternative explan
somehow survived wi
margins intact and stillshaped feature of the
debris flows
Some also appear to b
fragile and unlikely to h
of years of cycles of im
exhumation by dust asSol 1059; 1059ML0046580020306158E01_DXXX
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RESIDUE BUILDS UP TO FORM L MIN E
This slide is anothe
looks like relatively
protected from win
massive rock overh
The new laminae, a
be arising from flow
under the nearby ro
Note:
Again, The topm
appearing laminaseems pale and f
lower lamina app
sturdy
There are a num
looking objects u
seem to have be
Sol 1065; 1065MR0046870130104851C00_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
This slide is included to
of the upper side of a la
the upper side of a rock
dislodged and thrown osurface with its upper s
Note:
The shapes of the in
rock surface are tota
the lamina having be
the accretions of mu
debris flows over tim
The edges of other l
be seen
Sol 1047; 1047ML0046000210306023E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
This slide shows lamina
might be in the process
into rocks.
Note:
The dark colouration
appearance of most
The Vein that seems
down the edges of t
left side and might be
process
The debris flows on
laminae
Concretions at leadi
flow
Sol 1090; 1090MR0047860080600556E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
The process of induration con
Note The sub spherical concretions
blueberries might be signs of m The more solid, harder, appea
The textures on the surfaces o
that are similar to debris flow
indicative of having been form
The relatively large spaces bet
terraces
Sol 751; 0751MR0032280630403655E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
The process of induration con
Note This massive rocks main mass
I think veins might be anotherexpression of life in these imag
function in the development o
might be actually a veined stro
The dark areas made up of ad
laminae, covered by debris flo
be in the process of formation
Note the dark leading group o
foreground is covered with wflow material or muds. This pr
be now being formed
It would be a strange erosive p
leave that outgrowth there
eroding the other portions of
Sol 1157; 1157MR0052290140601973E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
This slide shows an area wher
can be seen downslope of old
Are those terraces that seem
out of the dark soil merely pro
erosion of a rock which has un
millions of years of erosion an
seen peeping through the soil?
Or could they be products of
young process of induration o
Oh if only Curiosity had a sho
Sol 1087; 1087ML0047760190500020E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
No shovel, but this slide show
has been dislodged by Curiosi
and affords a partial look at th
Note: Shallow emplacement of ro
Dark debris flows around t
Debris flow coming from u
portion of rock
Eroded surface of rock (blu
Broken layers under rock s
consistent with debris flow Solid base of rock around w
friable looking soil adheres
Distinct difference betwee
portion of rock and subsoi
which is solid and immerseSol 1167; 1167MR0052840030602189E01_DXXX
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TERR CE GROUPS GGREG TE INTO ROCKS
This slide shows a rock that w
and dislodged by Curiswhee
Note:
The roughly circular concathe portion of the rock left
the left side of the overtur
The layering around the w
of the intact and the broke
Layers are suggestive of a s
The texture of the layers a
the raised bluish rock on ththe image.
The raised crust at the bas
rock seems to be made up
debris flows which were n
by the force which upliftedSol 173; 0173MR0926103000E1_DXXX
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THE CLIM X ST GE MERIDI NI TYPE P VEMENT SURF
The final climax stage in the
some martian surfaces mig
in this slide, bottom right si
A pavement of rocks, with
planed to flat or domal sha
from each other by channe
dust that is rich in water an
access to the underlying so
rocks are emplaced and whmaterials and act as a niche
Sol 1174; 1174ML0053240040502493E01_DXXX
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