Valleys of former rivers discovered on Mars: scientists have studied the Earth of Cimmeria

Russian planetary scientists have revealed the past of the Red Planet using orbital images

Photo: pixabay.com

The valleys of Mars were formed from flowing waters. This hypothesis was put forward by scientists from the laboratory of comparative planetology at the Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry named after. IN AND. Vernadsky RAS, having studied the valley topography of the southern hemisphere of Mars, called Earth Cimmeria. The research results were published in the journal Solar System Research. 

As the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia reported to MK, in their work the researchers relied on remote sensing data obtained using devices operating in Mars orbit.

The valley topography of the area of ​​Mars called Cimmeria Land was subjected to more careful study. This small region is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet. To the north lies a transition zone between the ancient cratered southern continent and the relatively younger low-lying “oceanic” plains of the northern hemisphere.

According to the author of the work, Alina Mukhamedzhanova, an employee of the Laboratory of Comparative Planetology of the Geochemical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, types of valleys were discovered in the study area that have a great morphological similarity to the valleys of terrestrial rivers. They provide evidence that once, in the geological past, fluvial activity, that is, the activity of flowing water, occurred on the surface of the planet.

The work focused on two valleys — Ma'adim and Durius. Ma'adim is tens of times larger in area than Durius. Both valley systems are characterized by branching (the presence of watercourses of several orders), as well as a general trend of incision from south to north.

Location of the Earth Cimmeria — “Terra Cimmeria”. Indicated by the red line in the figure on the right. Source https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/

Despite the fact that there are hypotheses that explain these forms as the result of tectonic or, for example , volcanic activity, GEOKHI scientists are more inclined to the fluvial origin of the valleys.

They studied their main characteristics: length, width, slope, longitudinal and transverse profiles, depth and width along the edges and bottom. Changes in the shape and parameters of the transverse profile down the valleys were also analyzed to determine the patterns of development of this relief.

It turned out that both main valleys tend to develop a U-shaped profile and to widen the bottom as they approach the mouth. These and other features of the structure of the studied systems confirm the «water» hypothesis. The approximate time of formation and activity of Ma'adim and Durius is 4.5 — 3 billion years ago. Their origin and age may be closely related to the geological and climatic history of Mars.

Two valleys of Cimmerian Land. Source https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/