Planet Four Talk

Smooove

  • Ian_Mason by Ian_Mason

    Intrigued by the smooth patch that run from the lower left at an angle to beneath the middle fan.

    Any thoughts?

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    Seen a few of these but not got an angle on them yet. Interesting that there's a big blob on the left, and obviously another at bottom right, but those fans above the smooth patch are 'medium' sized, with only a small fan in the smooth area. Different material? An ancient magma intrusion perhaps? Best I can do for now.

    Posted

  • Paul_Johnson by Paul_Johnson

    Would previously vented material have an effect on the surface of the ice? Melting it, (it must be warmer, yes?) Smoooving it?

    That's my guess!

    I think there is a definite relationship between smooove and old vented material....APF0000b5e, what think you?

    Posted

  • Ian_Mason by Ian_Mason

    Thanks Kith & Paul,

    That sounds very plausable, & I wondered if it was a combination of the 2, such as different rock types, & different abilities on holding surface temperatures.

    Pauls image expanded.
    enter image description here

    Posted

  • wassock by wassock moderator

    What ever it is it lies over the surface structure around it, lets call the surface a honeycomb of spiders. Look at the channels, the just come up to the smooth and stop, no narrowing or continuation as a narrower channel

    Posted

  • wassock by wassock moderator

    Similar APF0000bor APF0000bv2 both also look like the smooth is an overlaying surface

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    Wassock's observation that the channels 'just stop' is interesting, as is the lack of narrowing and continuation. If channels grow because some 'hotspot' venting mechanism shifts material from under the ice and then moves on a bit down the leg channel to make it grow, what would happen if the channel hits a 'dry well'? No material there to vent (or precious little) so no further growth. ?

    Posted

  • JellyMonster by JellyMonster

    It looks like the smooth area is a depression of some sort, perhaps all that is left of a heavy impact, many moons ago?

    Posted

  • rowbumby by rowbumby

    just a thought...... The unusually smooth patch could have something to do with Wind Drift which was likely created by the Martian wind blowing fine particles

    Posted

  • AUricle by AUricle in response to Ian Mason's comment.

    Ian,

    Bearing Jelly's reminder that the smooth patch is a depression as opposed to the 'bump' my eye naturally sees, do you think it could be that this area was once a dark, dust-covered area, which has warmed as Paul Johnson has suggested?

    That warming would accelerate the 'melting' of the icesheet under that dust, leaving a depression in the surface, which would begin to freeze over again, yeilding a 'new' smooth surface....and that could account for the sudden cessation of the 'lace' or 'honeycomb' channels...........of course, the reality of it is probably not even close to this rambling, so take it FWIW 😉

    Posted

  • wassock by wassock moderator

    Wrt Pals image expanded, If its a depression, and the winds blow bottom to top as evidenced by the fan, why does the fan/blotch at the bottom stop neatly at the edge of the hole?

    Posted

  • JellyMonster by JellyMonster in response to wassock's comment.

    I have done the usual rotation/histogram edits to try and make out what is happening.

    why does the fan/blotch at the bottom stop neatly at the edge of the hole?

    It might be because, as the fan already lies in the depression, it gets blown along but not upward, so doesn't get very far.

    ![Example] (http://www.mediafire.com/conv/e2b77fe152e888d1a8793c09a9b89f63e438dcea46af42d7a61702cf0e073a626g.jpg)

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    The fan in the depression' (top right) is tiny. Fan at edge of depression is small. Fan below that is bigger. Fans either side of depression are 'massive'. ??

    Posted

  • JellyMonster by JellyMonster in response to Kitharode's comment.

    A nice assortment then? Interesting that the 'medium' sized fans are active, around the curvature of the depression and a much larger one covering the centre.

    Posted

  • Ian_Mason by Ian_Mason in response to AUricle's comment.

    Hi AUricle,

    you could have a point there, & having seen Jelly`s latest upload it does look like the depression looks a bit like a narrow fan shape heading to the top right corner. Maybe it chucked out anti freeze, lol.

    Sorry to divert, but anyone able to explain what #tags actually do? Are they purely there to kind of rate what popular features are, or are they searchable in any way?

    Many thanks all.

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    Left hand edge of depression appears more 'sharp' / well-defined than right hand edge. Right edge gives a more 'spilling over' impression to me. (Not suggesting it actually spills - just a visual thing).

    Seasonal question: If it's a depression might it be colder at the bottom than it's surroundings? If so, smooth(ish) icecover might form in the depression earlier than surroundings, or if in melt season it would remain longest. Yes/No ??

    'Hashtags' are a mystery to me. Hope you get an answer. 'Ask a Scientist' thread?

    Posted

  • Ian_Mason by Ian_Mason

    'Hashtags' are a mystery to me. Hope you get an answer. 'Ask a Scientist' thread?

    Thanks Kith, have started a thread here, http://talk.planetfour.org/#/boards/BPF0000004/discussions/DPF0000afj

    I just had another theory. might the ice on the surrounding area be up for expansion & contraction because of movable soil below, whereas the smooth area is rock solid beneath, & wont budge?

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    Good thread. Don't know enough about the icelayer yet, so can't really comment on your new idea. I think it's possible and plausible (and well thought) but that's all I can offer right now. What bit I do know about icecover and 'webby' landscape leads me away from your idea, but like yourself my 'theories' are still embryonic, at best 😉

    Posted

  • wassock by wassock moderator in response to JellyMonster's comment.

    Jellymonster, think we at cross purposes, I'm talking about this image: http://talk.planetfour.org/subjects/standard/50e741d05e2ed21240003872.jpg if the smooth area is a dip why does th fan stop at the rim?

    Posted

  • JellyMonster by JellyMonster in response to wassock's comment.

    Can you check the link as all I get the dreaded '404 not found' error!

    Posted

  • wassock by wassock moderator

    Its the image in the 4th post in the thread http://planetfour.org/subjects/standard/50e741d05e2ed21240003872.jpg

    Posted

  • JellyMonster by JellyMonster

    Do you mean this one (inverted)?

    Its the image in the 4th post in the thread

    You just got there before me!

    ![Other image] (http://www.mediafire.com/conv/086d908cfba35db5e6a652d69f2716b8e2a44c70c686adc1837dbfdd4f304afa6g.jpg)

    I don't think the fan does stop exactly at the rim. It looks to me like the dirt/dust is blown over the edge, accumulating at the bottom of the depression as it falls.

    Posted

  • Paul_Johnson by Paul_Johnson

    Smoooove is everywhere......

    APF0000px1

    APF0000aoq

    I like the idea that the fan vomits forth the hot gas and material, and Lo! the surface ice is smoooooved.

    Or, perhaps the material reacts chemically with the surface CO2 ice-perhaps there's a salty element to it.....which is why you seldom see Martain slugs.

    Posted