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Title: Formation of Martian araneiforms by gas-driven erosion of granular material

Abstract

Sublimation at the lower surface of a seasonal sheet of translucent CO2 ice at high southern latitudes during the Martian spring, and rapid outflow of the CO2 gas generated in this manner through holes in the ice, has been proposed as the origin of dendritic 100 m-1 km scale branched channels known as spiders or araneiforms and dark dust fans deposited on top of the ice. We show that patterns very similar to araneiforms are formed in a Hele-Shaw cell filled with an unconsolidated granular material by slowly deforming the upper wall upward and allowing it to return rapidly to its original position to drive air and entrained particles through a small hole in the upper wall. Straight, braided and quasiperiodic oscillating channels, unlike meandering channels on Earth were also formed.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1049382
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU-12-26990
Journal ID: ISSN 0094-8276; GPRLAJ; TRN: US201218%%1447
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Geophysical Research Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 39; Journal Issue: 13; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-8276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; CARBON DIOXIDE; DUSTS; EROSION; GRANULAR MATERIALS; ICE; MARS PLANET; SUBLIMATION; SURFACES; granular material

Citation Formats

Villiers, S de, Nermoen, A, Jamtveit, B, Mathiesen, J, Meakin, P, and Werner, S C. Formation of Martian araneiforms by gas-driven erosion of granular material. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1029/2012GL052226.
Villiers, S de, Nermoen, A, Jamtveit, B, Mathiesen, J, Meakin, P, & Werner, S C. Formation of Martian araneiforms by gas-driven erosion of granular material. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052226
Villiers, S de, Nermoen, A, Jamtveit, B, Mathiesen, J, Meakin, P, and Werner, S C. 2012. "Formation of Martian araneiforms by gas-driven erosion of granular material". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052226.
@article{osti_1049382,
title = {Formation of Martian araneiforms by gas-driven erosion of granular material},
author = {Villiers, S de and Nermoen, A and Jamtveit, B and Mathiesen, J and Meakin, P and Werner, S C},
abstractNote = {Sublimation at the lower surface of a seasonal sheet of translucent CO2 ice at high southern latitudes during the Martian spring, and rapid outflow of the CO2 gas generated in this manner through holes in the ice, has been proposed as the origin of dendritic 100 m-1 km scale branched channels known as spiders or araneiforms and dark dust fans deposited on top of the ice. We show that patterns very similar to araneiforms are formed in a Hele-Shaw cell filled with an unconsolidated granular material by slowly deforming the upper wall upward and allowing it to return rapidly to its original position to drive air and entrained particles through a small hole in the upper wall. Straight, braided and quasiperiodic oscillating channels, unlike meandering channels on Earth were also formed.},
doi = {10.1029/2012GL052226},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1049382}, journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
issn = {0094-8276},
number = 13,
volume = 39,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}