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Melt-water formed dark streaks on slopes of Haughton crater as possible Mars analogues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2019

Jonathan Clarke ,
Paul Knightly  and
Shannon Rupert
Jonathan Clarke*
Affiliation:
Mars Society Australia, 43 Michell St, Monash, ACT 2904, Australia
Paul Knightly
Affiliation:
Space and Planetary Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Shannon Rupert
Affiliation:
Mars Society, 11111 West 8 Avenue Unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Jonathan Clarke, E-mail: jon.clarke@bigpond.com
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Abstract

Haughton crater in the Canadian Arctic has been extensively used as a Mars (and lunar) analogue over the past 20 years. Here we report on small scale, dark, semi-seasonal slope streaks formed by melt water flowing down the crater walls that we observed during the Mars Society-sponsored M160 expedition to the F-MARS facility on the NW rim of the crater. The streaks are formed by biofilms colonizing snow melt flowing from semi-permanent snow patches in Haughton crater on Devon Island and elsewhere in the Canadian Arctic. These features superficially resemble the dark slope streaks and recurring slope lineae (RSL) observed on Mars and may serve as analogues for wet models for their formation and a contrast with dry formation models. Their significance to astrobiology and planetary science is three-fold: (1) as examples of dark recurring streaks known to be associated with water they provide a benchmark to compare with Martian slope streaks and RSL. (2) The melt streaks may have potential as astrobiological analogues for wet models of slope streaks and RSL. (3) They are natural laboratories to study planetary protection issues associated with robotic and astronaut exploration of potential water-related slope features on Mars.

Keywords

Devon Islandmelt waterMars analoguesslope streaksrecurring slope lineaeHaughton crater
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 18 , Issue 6 , December 2019 , pp. 518 - 526
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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