Experimental evidence for lava-like mud flows under Martian surface conditions

Brož, P. and Krýza, O. and Wilson, L. and Conway, S.J. and Hauber, E. and Mazzini, A. and Raack, J. and Balme, M.R. and Sylvest, M.E. and Patel, M.R. (2020) Experimental evidence for lava-like mud flows under Martian surface conditions. Nature Geoscience, 13 (6). pp. 403-407. ISSN 1752-0894

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Abstract

Large outflow channels on ancient terrains of Mars have been interpreted as the products of catastrophic flood events. The rapid burial of water-rich sediments after such flooding could have led to sedimentary volcanism, in which mixtures of sediment and water (mud) erupt to the surface. Tens of thousands of volcano-like landforms populate the northern lowlands and other local sedimentary depocentres on Mars. However, it is difficult to determine whether the edifices are related to igneous or mud extrusions, partly because the behaviour of extruded mud under Martian surface conditions is poorly constrained. Here we investigate the mechanisms of mud propagation on Mars using experiments performed inside a low-pressure chamber at cold temperatures. We found that low viscosity mud under Martian conditions propagates differently from that on Earth, because of a rapid freezing and the formation of an icy crust. Instead, the experimental mud flows propagate like terrestrial pahoehoe lava flows, with liquid mud spilling from ruptures in the frozen crust, and then refreezing to form a new flow lobe. We suggest that mud volcanism can explain the formation of some lava-like flow morphologies on Mars, and that similar processes may apply to cryovolcanic extrusions on icy bodies in the Solar System.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Nature Geoscience
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1900
Subjects:
?? earth and planetary sciences(all) ??
ID Code:
144534
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
11 Jun 2020 08:57
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
18 Dec 2023 01:59