Dynamic Mars: Recent and Current Landscape Evolution of the Red Planet

Dynamic Mars: Recent Landscape Evolution of the Red Planet presents the latest developments in understanding the geological history of Mars. Presenting observational data and tightly-linked scientific hypotheses across a broad swath of landscapes, latitudes and geological contexts, as well as an examination of the impact of climate change mitigated by multiple geomorphological agents, the book covers a diverse array of themes and subjects. This highly illustrated book includes data from recent missions, and will be of interest to all levels of research in the geological history of Mars, as well as other terrestrial planets.

For years after the first detailed orbital and ground images of Mars were taken, it was thought that the red planet could have been wetter and warmer in its deep past than today. However, as the book demonstrates, the possible involvement of water in recent, if not contemporary, gully-like flows and slope streaks (i.e. recurring slope lineae), as well as the identification of a suite of geomorphological agents (i.e. glacial, periglacial, aeolian, meteorological, volcanic and meteoric) associated with surface and near-surface changes on a local to regional scale, suggest the history of the red planet may be much more dynamic than previously thought.

Utilizes observational as well as geological context to examine the geomorphology of Mars and its implications Encompasses a broad spectrum of highly-regarded experts and themes contributing to a comprehensive examination of the geological history of Mars Includes extensive and detailed imagery to illustrate the topics clearly

Late Amazonian Epoch climate 1. Orbital (climatic) forcing and its imprint on the global landscape   Recent surface water at/near the mid-latitudes? 2. Unraveling the mysteries of recurring slope lineae (RSL) 3. Gullies and their connection with the climate 4. Recent fluvial-channels, -landforms and fresh shallow-valleys in the Olympus Mons lava plains

The Polar Regions 5. Active geomorphological processes involving exotic agents 6. CO2-driven geomorphological processes

Glacial and periglacial landscapes 7. Paleo-periglacial and “ice-rich” complexes in Utopia Planitia  8. Bi-hemispheric (periglacial) mass wasting 

Volcanism 9. Volcanic disruption of recent ice-deposits in the Argyre Basin

Aeolian processes 10. Dust devils: stirring up the surface 11. Dark Dunes of Mars: An orbit-to-ground multidisciplinary perspective of aeolian science

Other surface-modification processes 12. Modification of the surface by impact cratering 13. Stone pavements, lag deposits, and contemporary landscape-evolution 14. Karst landforms as markers of recent climate change: en example from the late Amazonian Epoch evaporite karst within a trough in western Noctis Labyrinthus