Planet Four Talk

Fans or Blotches?

  • BornForThis by BornForThis

    Why these features confuse me:
    1.) as noted by babicka_baba, "The deposits here are not blotches (they are directional), but neither fans (not conical shape)"
    2.) the straight edge formed by the alignment of multiple fans or blotches really confuses me. Are these multiple fans emanating from a single crack in the CO2 ice? does the apparent straight line mark a single long fault in the ice?

    Posted

  • p.titchin by p.titchin

    Hi BornForThis. You've got it about right! These are small fans and blotches along cracks. In this image the cracks have formed in a 'trellis' pattern, and many of them have not got vents at this point. In other images you can see lines of fans along cracking that has formed polygonal plates. Here is another example of fans along 'trellis' type cracks- APF0000hw2 , and here is one of polygonal cracking- APF0001w5h . This one is a dramatic example of the same when the venting events are bigger, and the fans join. APF00015z2 . Hope you enjoy them 😃 ~Pete.

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  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator in response to BornForThis's comment.

    A good answer from Pete, with some nice examples of 'linear venting'.

    Pete's last example ( APF00015z2 ) is particularly interesting. I'm referring to the blue 'crayon line' feature to the left of the image. I don't think this is a camera glitch. There is a pale 'extension' at the top of the line and there is a dash of red in there as well (rustgrust?). Fascinating.

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  • p.titchin by p.titchin in response to Kitharode's comment.

    Hi Kith,. If you look at the RGB colour strip for the last image, you can see there are in fact 2 parallel faint blue straight lines running down the strip from just below the top, to just above the bottom. Almost like the scratches you can get on camera film rolls and 'cine films'when thy are wound on over a sharp bit in the 'works'. ~ Pete.

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  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator in response to p.titchin's comment.

    Ahhh, yes. Well spotted Pete. Nice analogy using the 'cine films'. Something else to add to the list of "check this before you open your mouth", eh? 😃

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