Valley network morphology in the greater Meridiani Planum region, Mars

The Greater Meridiani Planum region on Mars is a key locale for a diverse range of fluvial landforms. Valley networks in this region have a range of geomorphologic styles that include negative relief, positive relief, or some combination of both along their lengths. Using high-resolution ∼5–6 m/pixel orbital images in ArcGIS Desktop software, we mapped previously under-recognized fine-scale valley networks within the Greater Meridiani Planum region and recorded their geomorphic characteristics as feature attributes. The objectives in using the mapped features are to 1) document the full range of valley network morphologic types in the region, 2) document changes in morphologic types both on a regional scale and along the valley network segments, and 3) to use the mapped features along with other geologic information from previous studies to better understand landscape evolution in the Greater Meridiani Planum region.

火星大梅里迪亚尼平原（Greater Meridiani Planum）区域是发育多样河流地貌（fluvial landforms）的关键研究区。该区域内的河谷网络具有多种地貌样式（geomorphologic styles），沿河谷延伸方向可呈现负地形（negative relief）、正地形（positive relief），或二者兼具的组合形态。本研究借助分辨率约为5~6米/像素的高分辨率轨道影像（orbital images），在ArcGIS Desktop软件中完成了该区域内此前未被探明的精细尺度河谷网络（fine-scale valley networks）的制图工作，并将其地貌特征（geomorphic characteristics）作为要素属性（feature attributes）进行记录。本研究开展上述制图工作的目标包括：1）全面梳理并记录该区域内河谷网络的全部地貌类型；2）分别从区域尺度与河谷网络单体段两个维度，记录地貌类型的空间变化特征；3）结合本次制图获取的要素与前人研究中的其他地质资料（geologic information），深入解析该区域的地貌演化（landscape evolution）过程。