Variability of Bright Deposits in North Polar Residual Ice Cap Craters on Mars | CU Experts

Abstract; We use nearly a Mars decade of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera observations to track surface changes in 36 small impact craters on Mars' Northern Residual Ice Cap, commonly considered to be the uppermost layer of the North Polar Layered Deposits (NPLD). Understanding the mass balance of the top layer of the NPLD could help decode the climate record buried within its layers, and understanding the mass change of the crater interiors could provide this crucial information. We detect changes in the bright floor deposits within these craters using HiRISE data, adding to the myriad of small temporal changes found on Mars' surface with this data set. We find that 32 sites exhibited changes in their bright deposits over time intervals up to a Mars decade, and four sites did not show any noticeable changes. This variability can be correlated with surrounding frost conditions outside the crater, indicating a connection between the seasonal frost cycle and long‐term intra‐crater mass balance. This work presents an overview of observational trends from the 32 crater sites and the domination of local seasonal frost in the behavior of these crater interiors.

Shore GK; Landis ME; Rangarajan VG; Byrne S; Dundas CM; Sutton SS; Wilcoski AX; Hayne PO

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