a visual case for contemporary formation of some rocks on mars

7/21/2019 A Visual Case for Contemporary Formation of some Rocks on Mars

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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a visual case for contemporary formation of some rocks on mars

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