Roughness of
Mars Surface
Vs.
Width of Its
Channels
Our
Question:
How will the roughness of the Mars’
surface affect the width of its channels?
Hypothesis
Main Hypothesis: The smoother the
surface of Mars, the wider the channel
will be.
Alternative #1: The smoother the surface
of Mars, the smaller the channel will be.
Alternative #2: The smoother the surface
of Mars, the channel will stay the same.
Interest/Importance
This topic is interesting because we want to know how the surface of Mars
affects the width of a river channel and how big/wide they form. By
measuring the width across a river channel tells us how much water there
was and how rocks and hills on Mars change the way a river channel flows.
Our topic is important because to know how rough the terrain on Mars was
and how the channels formed, can help scientists figure how much water
there was on Mars at one time. Also we can compare it to Earth and how
much water was on both planets, and see how the geomorphology of
Mars affected the water quantity, and formations. The way Mars went from
a wet and warm climate to a cold, dry wasteland, could be the key
information on making life on Mars possible.
Definitions
Channel : The bed of a stream, river, or
other waterway.
Terrain : A series of rock formations.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Terrain+?s=t
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/channel?s=t
Control Image From
Mars Surface
Formation Description :
This formation is defined as a channel.
This channel is formed in a way that
makes it resemble a crack in a window.
Channel
http://themis.asu.edu/zoom-20070329a
How Channels Form
The form of a river channel can be viewed as the
outcome of the continuous struggle between the
erosive potential of the river and the resistance forces
of the valley floor materials. Over time, rivers develop
a channel which is able to carry their normal flow. The
form of this channel affects the flow of water in it and,
through erosion and deposition, the flow modifies the
form. The channel (and often the valley floor) acts as
a jerky conveyor belt for the transport of sediment
moving intermittently towards the sea.
Earth Channels
Vs.
Mars Channels
Other
Astronomers With
The Same Idea
•  Giovanni Schiapparelli, an Italian astronomer, discovered the presence
of channels on Mars’ surface.
•  Ken Edgett, a staff scientist at Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS),
stated, "… the Mariner 9 spacecraft found evidence—in the form of
channels and valleys—that billions of years ago the planet had water
flowing across the surface." This hypothesis was also supported by
•  Gerald A. Soffen, Chief Scientist for the Viking missions, who stated that
"… the presence of braided channels suggests to many geologists that
they are the result of previous periods of flowing water, suggesting a
very dynamic planet.” Says Scienceclarified.com
http://www.scienceclarified.com/dispute/Vol-1/Did-water-once-flow-on-the-surfaceof-Mars.html
Procedures
1.  First, I would go to the http://themis.asu.edu topic page website to
find images to observe from Mars. For my project I would look at
images relating to channels from the THEMIS Camera.
2.  For each image I observe, I would write down the Image
Identification number (the V#) so that I (or other scientists) could
reexamine those same images at any time.
3.  For each image I observe, I would also write down whether it had
(or didn’t have) the specific feature I am looking for. Even if the
image does not have what I am looking for, that is still valuable
data. The specific feature I would be looking for are channels.
4.  Next, I would record the longitude and the latitude of each image
to look for any patterns in the observations I make and also to be
able to plot that information on a map.
5.  Go to Jmars.
6.  Add New Layer > “Maps by Instrument” > MOLA > MOLA 128ppd
Elevation > Plot Numeric Data
7.  Add New Layer > “Maps by Instrument” > MOLA MOLA Shaded
Relief/Colorized Elevation > View Graphic Data
Procedures
(cont.)
8. Add New Layer > Stamps > THEMIS Stamps
9. Type V# into “Image ID(s)”
10.  Go to “Image Type” choose VIS.
11.  Type in your longitude and latitude.
12.  Press Okay.
13.  Go to “Main” tab, then press the “THEMIS Stamps” tab.
14.  Double click on the V#.
15.  Go to “Main” tab.
16.  Click “THEMIS Stamps” > Delete Layer.
17.  Go to “MOLA 128ppd Elevation” tab.
18.  Measure the width of the channel.
19.  Record Data.
20.  Measure length of the channel.
21.  Record data.
22.  Zoom out to 128.
23.  Look at Image carefully, and decide the surrounding roughness on a
scale of 1-7. One being completely smooth, and seven being extremely
rough.
24.  Repeat Steps 8-22 for all 20 images.
Image#
Longitude
Latitude Location/description
V27030040
89.2854
0.7177 rocky, curvy craters
V05479017
28.9995 14.8227 noodle l ooking very rough surface
V06305017
328.75 20.2656 stream l ined i sland smootish
V01138003
321.142 -­‐29.3535 4 craters l eafy l ooking
N/A
36.5548 0.99626 rocky, and curvy
V354109013
317.748 14.6788 rocky, curvy, normal channel, and craters
V32812001
313.725 -­‐26.9782 rock, curvy heart shaped
V28337019
184.872
16.682 rocky, curvy
V21933011
250.167
28.306 snake l ike, curvy
V41173003
309.951 -­‐9.36577 big crater with a channel on the side
N/A
317.526 13.8348 big channel next to i t surrounded by craters
V39051007
300.847 9.56867 looks l ike a knife
V39477010
254.016
31 craters, streamlined i slands
V38890008
267.239 20.3953 long snake flat on the side
V11030007
125.92 20.7796 connects to a big crater
V11326011
229.688 36.5385 hills to the side
Rating
Width of channel (km)
7
6.5
6
5.5
3
15
7
36
5
3.8
7
15.5
7
6.5
6
4
7
3
4
18
7
13
6
21
1
2.7
6
2.4
5
12.3
7
24
The Roughness of the Mars Surface
Vs.
The Width of It’s Channels
Scale
These are some example
pictures, to give you an idea of
what we rate a 1 or a 7. The
arrows are pointing to some
areas that helped us determine
the rating of these images.
3
1
2
4
Scale(cont.)
5
6
7
Graph Analysis
The graph presents the measurements we took from
THEMIS images. We measured the width of a
channel, and also configured the surrounding
roughness. We measured the channels in KM, and
we rated the surrounding roughness on a scale of
1-7. (One being the smoothest, 7 being extremely
rough). On the graph you will see our rating of the
surface around the channel on the X-Axis. While our
width measurements of the channel are on the YAxis. The graph shows a positive relationship, which
in turn, proves that the rougher the surface, the
smaller the width of the channel.
MOLA Map
Longitude
40
30
20
10
Latitude
0
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Conclusion
How will the roughness of the Mars’ surface affect the
width of it’s channels? The less rough the surface of Mars,
the wider the channel will be. This question is important so
we have the answers to what the water on Mars did to the
surface, or vise-versa. To know how rough the terrain on
Mars was and how the channels formed, can help scientists
figure how much water there was on Mars at one time. In
our THEMIS images, we found that the less rough it was
around the channel, the wider the channel was. In the
images on the next slide you can see a wide channel with
a smooth surrounding surface (left), and a less-wide
channel with a rough surrounding surface (right). On one of
our pictures on Jmars, we measured the width incorrectly,
which does impact the overall average of our channel
width data. The less rough the surface of Mars, the wider
the channel will be.
The red arrows
show you the
smoothness/
roughness of
the
surroundings of
the channels.
On the right we
have a wide
channel, with a
smooth
surrounding
surface. On the
left, we have a
less-wide
channel, with a
rougher
surrounding
surface.
References
Information
"channel." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 10
Apr. 2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/channel>.
"Terrain." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 10 Apr.
2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Terrain>.
Images
Christensen, P.R., N.S. Gorelick, G.L. Mehall, and K.C. Murray, THEMIS Public Data Releases, Planetary Data
System node, Arizona State University, <http://themis-data.asu.edu>.
Collins , William . Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. April 10, 2012
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Terrain>.
NASA/JPL/University of Arizona, 4/9/2012 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. April 10, 2012 <http://
www.nasa.gov/images/content/189897main_09202007_1-516.jpg>.
4/9/2012 April 10, 2012 <http://www.spacetoday.org/images/Mars/MarsExpress/
ReullVallis600x600.jpg>.
4/10/2012 April 10, 2012 <http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/marslife/images/
slif_s05.jpg>.
7/8/2009 <http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/25434269.jpg>.
The . The Center for Land Use Interpretation <http://clui.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/cluiimage/clui/pages/images/birdfoot_750.jpg>.