Origin and evolution of the outflow channels on Mars using HRSC 3-D imaging

火星表面巨大的侵蚀山谷，被称为流出通道，是火星地壳大规模侵蚀的证据。人们普遍认为，这些山谷是由灾难性的地下水释放造成的，地下水释放引发了灾难性的洪水，导致了大规模的侵蚀。这些山谷的形态可以用来推断洪水深度、水流速度和流量的约束条件。然而，得出这些值需要详细的地形数据。我们的目标是使用立体相机(HRSC)火星快车图像和衍生的3D信息绘制流出通道的形态。我们将在火星地貌中寻找洪灾阶段指标的证据，以便准确确定洪灾事件/S所达到的高度。为此，我们将使用摄影解译和地质制图，基于自动地形测量、形态测量分析和远程年龄确定，以生成流出水道关键实例的地质和水文历史。利用现有立体处理软件系统的改进，将从HRSC图像中自动获得火星表面的三维模型。这些3D模型和相关图像与以前美国飞行任务的数据共同配准，将用于绘制和量化与流出通道相关的地貌特征。将应用自动陨石坑探测算法(在现有的PPARC支持下开发)来推断地表单元的年龄，并限制气候和地质事件的时间-地层序列。我们将使用这些结果来计算与洪水事件相关的流速和排水量的估计。这些信息将为理解火星上水的演化提供重要线索，并对发现外星生命的存在或过去的存在具有重要意义。这项工作将成为欧空局火星快车任务高分辨率立体相机操作阶段的科学成果的一部分。

Giant erosional valleys on the surface of Mars, termed outflow channels, are testament to massive amounts of erosion of the Martian crust. These valleys are widely believed to have been carved by the catastrophic release of groundwater, which initiated cataclysmic floods that caused large-scale erosion. The morphology of these valleys can be used to infer constraints on the depth of floodwaters, water flow velocities and discharges. However, deriving these values requires detailed topographic data. We aim to map the morphology of the outflow channels using stereo camera (HRSC) Mars Express imagery and derived 3D information. We will look for evidence of flood stage indicators in the Martian landscape, so that we can accurately determine the heights that flood event/s attained. To do this we will use photointerpretation and geological mapping, based on automated topographical measurements, morphometric analysis and remote age determination, to produce a geological and hydrological history of key examples of outflow channels. Three dimensional models of the Martian surface will be automatically derived from the HRSC images, using a refinement of existing stereo processing software systems. These 3D models and the associated images, co-registered with data from previous US missions, will be used to map and quantify geomorphic features associated with the outflow channels. Automated crater detection algorithms (developed under existing PPARC support) will be applied to derive ages of surface units and constrain a time-stratigraphic sequence of climatic and geological events. We will use these results to compute estimates of flow velocities and water discharges associated with flood events. This information will provide important clues to understanding the evolution of water on Mars and has implications for discovering the presence or past presence of alien life. This work will form part of the scientific output from the High Resolution Stereo Camera operations phase of the ESA Mars Express mission.