Permafrost Landforms on Earth: Implications for Periglacial Landscape Evolution on Mars
Research Topic
Comparisons of Martian and terrestrial permafrost features are the main objectives of an subproject of AWI-Potsdam (L. Schirrmeister, M. Ulrich) within the frame of the German Helmholtz-Alliance “Planetary Evolution and Life”, started in spring 2008. Periglacial surface structures (e.g. polygon structures, pingos, rockglaciers, ground ice degradation features) are well visible in remote sensing data on Mars. On Earth they are reflecting climate conditions in connection with permafrost dynamics. Morphometric analyses of periglacial structure key regions on Mars and Earth by high resolution satellite data are supported by terrestrial field investigation in terrestrial permafrost landscapes. Based on Earth analogues studies environmental conditions on Mars and their changes will be reconstructed. The goal is to model geological and geomorphological evolution of Martian periglacial environments. Within the HGF-Alliance the results shall contribute to extract habitable zones on Mars.
Cooperations
German Partners
- German Aerospace Centre, Institute of Planetary Research
Funding
- Helmholtz Alliance 'Planetary Evolution and Life', WP4000 Geological Context of Life
External Link
http://www.dlr.de/pf/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4843/
Outcomes, Publications
- Ulrich, M., Morgenstern, A., Günther, F., Reiss, D., Bauch, K.E., Hauber, E., Rössler, S., Schirrmeister, L. (2010).Thermokarst in Siberian ice-rich permafrost: Comparison to asymmetric scalloped depressions on Mars, Journal of Geophysical Research, 115, E10009, doi:10.1029/2010JE003640.
- Ulrich, M., Schirrmeister, L., Hauber, E., Reiss, D., Zanetti, M., Hiesinger, H., Johansson, L., Johnsson, A. (2010).Geomorphometric analysis of patterned ground on Svalbard from High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC-AX) data: Analogue studies for Mars, European Conference on Permafrost, June 13-17, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway.
- Ulrich, M., Morgenstern, A., Guenther, F., Roessler, S. (2009).Investigation of thermokarst features in NE Siberia as possible terrestrial analogues of Martian scalloped depressions, 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 23-27 March 2009, The Woodlands, Texas, USA.
- Ulrich, M., Grosse, G., Chabrillat, S., Schirrmeister, L. (2009).Spectral characterization of periglacial surfaces and geomorphological units in the Arctic Lena Delta using field spectrometry and remote sensing, Remote Sensing of Environment, 113(6), 1220-1235., doi:10.1016/j.rse.2009.02.009 .
