Green (Martian crater)

Green Crater is an impact crater in the Argyre quadrangle of Mars, located at 52.7° S and 8.4° W. It is 184.0 km in diameter and was named after Nathan E. Green, a British astronomer (1823-1899).[1]

This article is about the Martian crater. For the crater on the Moon, see Green (lunar crater).
Green
Gullies in Green Crater, as seen by HiRISE.
PlanetMars
Coordinates52.7°S 8.4°W / -52.7; -8.4
QuadrangleArgyre
EponymNathan E. Green, a British astronomer (1823-1899)

Description

Debris flows have been observed on some of the dunes in this crater. Some researchers believe that they may be caused by liquid water. Liquid water could be stable for short periods of time in the summer in the southern hemisphere of Mars. These gully-like debris flows may be due to small amounts of ice melting.[2]

Dunes

Barchan dunes are present in Green Crater and visible in pictures below. When there are perfect conditions for producing sand dunes, steady wind in one direction and just enough sand, a barchan sand dune forms. Barchans have a gentle slope on the wind side and a much steeper slope on the lee side where horns or a notch often forms.[3]

See also
  • List of craters on Mars
  • Gullies on Mars

References
  1. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Green". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. Reiss, D, R. Jaumann. 2003. Recent debris flows on Mars: Seasonal observations of the Russell Crater dune field. Geophysical Research Letters: 30, 1321.
  3. Pye, Kenneth; Haim Tsoar (2008). Aeolian Sand and Sand Dunes. Springer. pp. 138. ISBN 9783540859109.
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