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The Kasei Valles, Mars: a unified record of episodic channel flows and ancient ocean levels

Duran, Sergio; Coulthard, Tom J.

Authors

Sergio Duran



Abstract

There is widespread evidence across Mars of past flows in major channel systems as well as more than one palaeo ocean level. However, evidence for the timing of channel flows and ocean levels is based on geographically diverse sources with a limited number of dates, making reconstructions of palaeo flows and ocean levels patchy. Here, based on high-resolution topography, image analysis and crater statistics, we have dated 35 different surfaces in Kasei Valles, that are predominantly found within erosional units enabling us to reconstruct a fascinating timeline of episodic flooding events (ranging from 3.7 to 3.6 Ga to ca. 2.0 Ga) interacting with changing ocean/base levels. The temporal correlation of the different surfaces indicates five periods of channel flows driving the evolution of Kasei Valles, in conjunction with the development of (at least) two ocean levels. Furthermore, our results imply that such ocean rose in elevation (ca. 1000 m) between ca. 3.6 Ga and 3.2 Ga and soon afterwards disappeared, thereby indicating a complex ancient Martian hydrosphere capable of supporting a vast ocean, with an active hydrological cycle stretching into the Amazonian.

Citation

Duran, S., & Coulthard, T. J. (2020). The Kasei Valles, Mars: a unified record of episodic channel flows and ancient ocean levels. Scientific reports, 10(1), Article 18571. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75080-y

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 30, 2020
Online Publication Date Oct 29, 2020
Publication Date 2020-12
Deposit Date Nov 2, 2020
Publicly Available Date Nov 2, 2020
Journal Scientific Reports
Print ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher Nature Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 1
Article Number 18571
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75080-y
Keywords Geomorphology; Hydrology; Inner planets
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3651389
Publisher URL https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75080-y

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© The Author(s) 2020
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