Magnitude of a catastrophic flood event at Kasei Valles, Mars

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 1990 Magnitude of a catastrophic flood event at Kasei Valles, Mars Mark S. Robinson; Mark S. Robinson 1Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, Planetary Geoscience Division, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kenneth L. Tanaka Kenneth L. Tanaka 2U.S. Geological Survey, 2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1990) 18 (9): 902–905. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0902:MOACFE>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Mark S. Robinson, Kenneth L. Tanaka; Magnitude of a catastrophic flood event at Kasei Valles, Mars. Geology 1990;; 18 (9): 902–905. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0902:MOACFE>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Kasei Valles compose an enormous outflow-channel system on Mars. The upper part of the channel system is typically less than 1 km deep and descends from Echus Chasma about 1 km over a distance of 1000 km; it then splits into north and south channels. On the basis of a stereomodel of Viking images, we have measured the geometry of a steep, constricted reach of the north channel that drops 900 m in only 100 km. A late-stage flood is hypothesized to have scoured the channel. If we assume that channel striations indicate water levels, then the flood had a minimum cross-sectional area of 3.12 x 107 m2 (the putative flood had a width of 83 km, an average depth of 374 m, and maximum depth of 1280 m). These channel measurements suggest that flood velocities ranged from 32 to 75 m⋅s-1 and that discharge was greater than 1 km3⋅s-1, values larger than those calculated for any other flood event on Mars or Earth. The flood maintained supercritical flow and caused intense erosion in this area, scouring a 350-m-deep megapothole. The source of the flood water may have been a temporary lake in Echus Chasma, a deep canyon formed in association with tectonism at Valles Marineris. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.