Buried palaeo-polygonal terrain detected underneath Utopia Planitia on Mars by the Zhurong radar
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Published:2023-11-23
Issue:1
Volume:8
Page:69-76
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ISSN:2397-3366
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Container-title:Nature Astronomy
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Nat Astron
Author:
Zhang LeiORCID, Li ChaoORCID, Zhang JinhaiORCID, Zhou BinORCID, Zhao Yu-Yan SaraORCID, Liu YangORCID, Di Kaichang, Mitchell Ross N.ORCID, Li Juan, Zhang Zhigang, Chen LinORCID, Liang XiaofengORCID, Sun WeijiaORCID, Liu Yike, Zhao Xu, Hao Jinlai, Xu Changyi, Zheng YikangORCID, Wang Yibo, Wang XinORCID, Zhao Pan, Lv Wenmin, Li YangORCID, Lan Haiqiang, Li Yuxi, Wang WeiORCID, Lu Yang, Lin HongleiORCID, Fang PengORCID, Lin WeiORCID, Wei YongORCID, Chen LingORCID, Fang Guangyou, Lin Yangting, Yao Zhenxing, Pan Yongxin
Abstract
AbstractAs the largest basin on Mars, Utopia Planitia has both experienced and recorded variations of the Martian palaeoclimate. Layered subsurface structures have been identified by ground-penetrating radar in southern Utopia Planitia but lateral variations of the subsurface, potentially linked to the Martian palaeoclimatic evolution, have not been investigated. Here we report the lateral frequency-variation patterns of Zhurong radar reflections and interpret them as buried polygonal terrain below a depth of 35 m. Sixteen polygonal wedges were identified within ∼1.2 km distance, suggesting a wide distribution of such terrain under Utopia Planitia. The contrast above and below ∼35 m depth represents a notable transformation of aqueous activity or thermal conditions in the Late Hesperian–Early Amazonian. The interpreted buried polygons, possibly generated by freeze–thaw cycles, imply that there was a strong palaeoclimatic variability at low-to-mid latitudes (∼25° N), potentially due to the high obliquity of ancient Mars.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Astronomy and Astrophysics
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