GY4027

Topic 10: Planetary Landscapes

This topic, we’ll return to a topic introduced in the reading for Topic 2 - landscapes on other planets and moons.

By the end of this topic you should be able to:

1. Explain how gravitational processes can be different in different gravity
2. Explain how aeolian processes can be different in different atmospheres
3. Explain how liquid processes can be different with a different liquid than water
4. Explain how ice processes can be different with different ice than water ice

Lecture

Lecture slides: L10 Planetary Landscapes

Reading

Suggested Textbook

No chapter this topic

Academic papers

• Diniega, S., Bramson, A.M., Buratti, B., Buhler, P., Burr, D.M., Chojnacki, M., Conway, S.J., Dundas, C.M., Hansen, C.J., McEwen, A.S., Lapôtre, M.G.A., Levy, J., Mc Keown, L., Piqueux, S., Portyankina, G., Swann, C., Titus, T.N., and Widmer, J.M. 2021. Modern Mars’ geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity. Geomorphology 380, 107627. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107627

This paper reviews the landscape-shaping processes on modern-day Mars. This is useful not just because Mars is interesting in itself, but also because the contrast with Earth - with different gravity, different atmosphere, lack of water, and different ice - will help to understand the processes shaping landscapes here on Earth.