Three decades of slope streak activity on Mars

Abstract

Slope streaks are surficial mass movements that are abundant in the dust-covered regions of Mars. Targeting of slope streaks seen in Viking images with the Mars Orbiter Camera provides observations of slope streak dust activity over two to three decades. In all study areas, new and persisting dark slope streaks are observed. Slope streaks disappeared in one area, with persisting streaks nearby. New slope streaks are found to be systematically darker than persisting streaks, which indicates gradual fading. Far more slope streaks formed at the study sites than have faded from visibility. The rate of formation at the study sites was 0.03 new slope streaks per existing streak per Mars year. Bright slope streaks do not presently form in sudden events as dark slope streaks do. Instead, bright streaks might form from old dark slope streaks, perhaps transitioning through a partially faded stage.