Duststones on Mars: Source, transport, deposition and erosion

摘要: Dust is an abundant material on Mars, and there strong evidence that it a contributor to the rock record as ‘‘duststone,’’ analogous in many ways loess Earth. Although common suite of dust formation mechanisms has operated two planets, fundamental differences environments geologic histories have resulted vastly different weighting functions, causing distinct depositional styles erosional mechanisms. On Earth, derived predominantly from glacial grinding and, nonglacial environments, by other processes, such volcanism, eolian abrasion, fluvial comminution. Hydrological biological processes convert accumulations deposits. Active hydrology also acts clean atmosphere into soil or erode entirely. production been minor, with most fine particles probably produced ancient volcanic, impact, processes. deposited under arid conditions which aggregate growth cementation are stabilizing agents. Thick result duststone.