火星水成地貌研究进展

液态水在火星地表的塑造过程中起到了重要的作用,形成了峡谷网、外流河道、古湖泊以及三角洲和冲积扇等多种多样的水成地貌,它们一直是火星探测与研究的热点和焦点.本文对火星水成地貌的探测历史、地形地貌特征、时空分布等方面的研究进展进行总结,探讨水成地貌对火星气候演化及天体生物学研究的指示意义.在此基础上,提出当前火星水成地貌研究存在的问题,认为需要在火星水成地貌的水源类型、水成地貌所指示的火星水环境特征、亚马逊纪水成地貌的成因、火星水成地貌与我国柴达木盆地地貌的类比等方面开展进一步研究,为更深入的认识火星水成地貌,了解火星气候变化及宜居性提供支持.

Advances in Martian water- related landforms

Liquid water plays an important role in shaping the surface of Mars, forming a variety of water- related landforms, such as valley networks, outflow channels, paleolakes, deltas and alluvial fans, which have always been the focus of Martian exploration and research. This paper summarizes the research progress on the exploration history, topographic and geomorphological features, and temporal and spatial distribution of Martian water- related landforms, and discusses the implication for Martian climate evolution and astrobiological research. On this basis, we propose that more study is still needed on the source of Martian water- related landforms, Martian aqueous environment, origin of Amazonian water- related landforms, and the comparative study between the water- related landforms on Mars and in the Qaidam basin, China, which will help us better understand the Martian water- related landforms as well as the Martian climate change and habitability.