Planet Four Talk

Any Idea?

  • A0087779 by A0087779

    any idea on what could be the cause of this?

    Posted

  • p.titchin by p.titchin

    Seems to be a network of spider channels. HirRISE from this image shows a very large area of these in polygonal shapes, I seem to remember a joke from one of our Moderators on the discussion boards who might have called this image 'sublime' !!

    Posted

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

    Much as I'd like to, I can't claim credit for the 'sublime' joke. It's on 'my' joke page, but it was posted by Angi60. 😮

    As you say, these spider channels (which I call chain spiders) seem to be forming into a network and I believe this is the case. As to the original question by A0087779 about the cause of this formation, this I cannot answer (yet).

    Posted

  • angi60 by angi60 in response to Kitharode's comment.

    Pete : Hoho, I'm glad you remember the (cringeworthy) joke! No-one laughed at it 😦 Kitharode is right, I'm the guilty culprit. He writes much better jokes than me!! I thought I'd been promoted to Moderator for a minute then 😮

    Kitharode: Thanks for putting Pete right. I'd better make my own joke page next time to save you embarrassment! :-X
    I've been calling these lattice spiders when I classify. Am I wrong?

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  • wassock by wassock moderator

    Thought the vague theory on these was that in the beginning there were polygonal cracks, from shrinking of the surface, and the spiders exploit these when they form

    Posted

  • Kitharode by Kitharode moderator

    Wassock: It's a theory I'd support at the moment. Don't know for sure yet, but you know I like the idea of 'topology shapes spiders' in some cases at least. We've established that slope is a major player in some areas and I'm convinced that other surface/geological features also play their part. But as you say, 'vague' at the moment.

    Angi60: You can call them what you want. As yet no 'official' classification exists so we tend to use an odd accepted term (dendritic, lattice, lace terrain) mixed in with our own classifications. I'm hoping that future projects will address this issue because an ordered classification of spiders would help me a great deal.

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  • angi60 by angi60 in response to Kitharode's comment.

    OK, thanks Kitharode. I thought that was the case. I know you've done alot of work on spider classifications!

    Posted

  • Portyankina by Portyankina scientist

    Hi everybody!

    I also do not have much more than a vague theory (same as wassock).
    Our best looking idea is that polygonal terrain supports spider development: sides of polygonal troughs serve well as solar catchers, or even as solar ovens. That's why spiders tend to follow preexisting polygons.

    You can glimpse at the polygons without spiders for example on this image: http://www.uahirise.org/PSP_002070_2250

    Anya

    Posted