Wind regime, sediment transport, and landscape dynamics at a Mars analogue site in the Andes Mountains of Northwestern Argentina

Favaro, Elena A.; Hugenholtz, Chris H.; Barchyn, Thomas E.; Gough, Tyler

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113765

Cited by 12 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 45 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…GIS data products and data sets used to analyze TARs, PBRs, and dust devils/windstreaks are available for download online (Favaro and Grindrod, 2020). The standard data products used here are available from the NASA PDS (https://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/).…”

Section: Data Availability Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Aeolian Environment of the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover in Oxia Planum, Mars

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Data Availability Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Aeolian Environment of the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover in Oxia Planum, Mars

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Large-scale synoptic circulation patterns over north-western Argentina result in a dominant northwesterly flow across the study area, which has persisted for the past 2 Ma (Greene, 1995). Model outputs from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts using ERA-Interim re-analysis data presented by Favaro et al (2020) show the dominance of a northwesterly wind regime in the region, but also highlight a weaker and less frequent southeasterly component consistent with the orientation of some aeolian rat-tails and yardang re-entrant profiles. Modelled data also captured a diurnal wind signal, consisting of low pre-dawn wind speeds that gradually increase over the morning to peak in the afternoon before slowing down and returning to pre-dawn conditions (Favaro et al, 2020).…”

Section: Climatementioning

confidence: 84%

“…Model outputs from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts using ERA-Interim re-analysis data presented by Favaro et al (2020) show the dominance of a northwesterly wind regime in the region, but also highlight a weaker and less frequent southeasterly component consistent with the orientation of some aeolian rat-tails and yardang re-entrant profiles. Modelled data also captured a diurnal wind signal, consisting of low pre-dawn wind speeds that gradually increase over the morning to peak in the afternoon before slowing down and returning to pre-dawn conditions (Favaro et al, 2020). The difference in daily amplitudes is largest between April and October and peaks during austral winter (June, July, and August).…”

Section: Climatementioning

confidence: 84%

“…ERA-Interim wind speeds for the study area show a mean monthly range of 2.2 to 3.9 m s À1 (Favaro et al, 2020). Peak wind speeds during austral winter coincide with the largest difference in diurnal wind speeds.…”

Section: Climatementioning

confidence: 88%

“…Peak wind speeds during austral winter coincide with the largest difference in diurnal wind speeds. Overall, 99% of ERA-Interim modelled wind speeds were ≤ 10 m s À1 (Favaro et al, 2020). To our knowledge, the only site-specific in situ wind speed data for the study area were collected by Bridges et al (2015) between March and November 2012.…”

Section: Climatementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Antecedent controls on the spatial organization of yardangs on the Puna Plateau, north‐western Argentina

Favaro

Hugenholtz

Barchyn

2021

Earth Surf Processes Landf

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Yardangs are streamlined ridges that form in arid environments on Earth and Mars through wind-driven abrasion of consolidated substrates. Currently, there is limited consensus on the mechanisms that initiate and establish patterns of yardangs on the landscape. In this work, we examine the spatial organization of yardangs in the Campo de Piedra P omez ignimbrite deposit of north-western Argentina and identify evidence of antecedent controls on yardang patterns and formation. We mapped 14,826 yardangs in the region using a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) and satellite imagery. We classified yardangs as points using a two-stage decision rule based on morphology and spectral characteristics. Point pattern analysis shows that yardangs in the study area are not randomly distributed and commonly exhibit directional anisotropy in point pattern. The anisotropic pattern manifests as bands of closely-spaced yardangs oriented transverse to the dominant northwesterly wind direction. We hypothesize that banding is controlled by pre-existing antecedent topography in the bedrock, such as fumaroles or ridges associated with pyroclastic flow deposits. We present evidence from other locations on Earth and Mars to illustrate that the transverse banding is a common pattern in yardang landscapes.

show abstract

The fault in our TARs: A critical review of research paradigms for intermediate‐scale bedforms on Mars

Gough,

Barchyn,

Hugenholtz

2023

Earth Surf Processes Landf

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We provide a critical review of research paradigms for classifying intermediate‐scale aeolian bedforms on Mars and the new terminology that has emerged. The systematic classification of bedforms has always been challenging and debated, and no paradigmatic knowledge organization system exists beyond general agreement on the importance of a distinction between ripples and dunes. The diverse aeolian landscapes of Mars have introduced further topics and challenges to these debates. We argue that Martian aeolian geomorphology's knowledge organization system for intermediate‐scale bedforms is preparadigmatic and that consensus over terminology and their definitions has not been established in the literature. A preparadigmatic science can be functional only if scientists operating in the discipline provide precise, falsifiable definitions or use abductive logic. Drawing on evidence and examples from the literature, we argue that the replacement of the conventional abductive paradigm used in bedform classification with inductive logic has created an emerging disciplinary paradigm based on scientific hesitancy and a dependence on complex inductive research structures, epitomized by the concepts of ‘transverse aeolian ridges’ (TARs) and ‘large Martian ripples’ (LMRs). We show that TAR and, increasingly, LMR are inductive constructs that have been popularized despite them causing significant confusion. Notably, we highlight how the terms are irreconcilably used as both a class of bedform and as a non‐genetic placeholder term for bedforms. Suggestions for moving beyond the need for TAR and LMR are provided, focusing on a return to more direct and local hypothesis‐driven research inspired by W.M. Davis's notion of outrageous geological hypotheses. Recent debate surrounding bedforms in Gale crater is presented as an example of the productivity of such an approach, and it is recommended that TAR and LMR no longer be used.

show abstract

Wind regime, sediment transport, and landscape dynamics at a Mars analogue site in the Andes Mountains of Northwestern Argentina

Cited by 12 publications

References 45 publications

The Aeolian Environment of the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover in Oxia Planum, Mars

The Aeolian Environment of the Landing Site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover in Oxia Planum, Mars

Antecedent controls on the spatial organization of yardangs on the Puna Plateau, north‐western Argentina

The fault in our TARs: A critical review of research paradigms for intermediate‐scale bedforms on Mars

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About