Tag Archives: RSL

HiRISE: What gullies can say

Right past the sharp, but warped rim of this ancient impact crater are deposits of winter frost, which show up as blue in enhanced color. There are two possible science goals that we can study here: what does the terrain…. … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Surprising landslump in Melas Chasma

HiRISE has been monitoring the recurring slope lineae (RSL) over the mid-latitude and equatorial regions of Mars. One of these sites is a crater on the floor of Melas Chasma; and an animation shows how the RSL follow the sun, … Continue reading

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HiRISE image: Recurring slope lineae in Coprates

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) may be due to active seeps of water. These dark flows are abundant along the steep slopes of ancient bedrock in Coprates Chasma. The enhanced-color cutout shows a full-resolution sample. The RSL are most prominent on … Continue reading

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HiRISE image: Warm-season slope flows

Dark, seasonal flows emanate from bedrock exposures at Palikir Crater on Mars in this image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These flows, now documented at several places on Mars, form and … Continue reading

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HiRISE image: RSLs and colorful fans along Coprates Chasma ridge

This site along a Coprates Chasma ridge shows what are called recurring slope lineae (or RSL) on generally north-facing slopes in northern summer/southern winter (latitude 12.9 degrees S, longitude 295.5 degrees E). With an animation constructed from multiple co-located images, … Continue reading

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Recurring slope lineae discovered deep in Valles Marineris

Discovered in 2011, recurring slope lineae (RSL for short) are narrow, dark lines on steep slopes. They appear and grow longer during the warmest time of year, then fade and disappear over winter. They recur in the same places the … Continue reading

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Are brines actually needed to make recurring slope lineae flow?

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are finger-like dark lines on steep slopes that appear and grow longer during the warmest time of year, then fade and disappear over winter. They repeat the following Mars year in the same places. While scientists … Continue reading

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What Earth’s saltiest pond says about Mars

An Antarctic pond that’s the saltiest natural body of water on Earth stays wet in part by pulling moisture out of the air, scientists have discovered. And that has implications for possible brine seeps and reservoirs on Mars. Don Juan … Continue reading

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Salty flows on Mars

The features known as “recurring slope lineae” (RSL) are the best evidence going that liquid water can, and does, flow on present-day Mars. The lineae are small dark streaks that appear mostly on equator-facing slopes, are associated with slope channels, … Continue reading

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Seasonal flows of water on Mars

Finding water on Mars is nothing new. Scientists have known for years that water (as ice) lies in the polar caps and underground in high latitudes. However images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars … Continue reading

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