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Science 4 November 1983:
Vol. 222. no. 4623, pp. 463 - 468
DOI: 10.1126/science.222.4623.463
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Articles

Three Mars Years: Viking Lander 1 Imaging Observations

Raymond E. Arvidson 1, Edward A. Guinness 2, Henry J. Moore 3, James Tillman 4, and Stephen D. Wall 5

1 Associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.
2 Senior research associate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.
3 Geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025.
4 Meteorologist in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
5 Research engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California 91109.

The Mutch Memorial Station (Viking Lander 1) on Mars acquired imaging and meteorological data over a period of 2245 martian days (3:3 martian years). This article discusses the deposition and erosion of thin deposits (ten to hundreds of micrometers) of bright red dust associated with global dust storms, and the removal of centimeter amounts of material in selected areas during a dust storm late in the third winter. Atmospheric pressure data acquired during the period of intense erosion imply that baroclinic disturbances and strong diurnal solar tidal heating combined to produce strong winds. Erosion occurred principally in areas where soil cohesion was reduced by earlier surface sampler activities. Except for redistribution of thin layers of materials, the surface appears to be remarkably stable, perhaps because of cohesion of the undisturbed surface material.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
From the Cover: Giant saltation on Mars.
M. P. Almeida, E. J. R. Parteli, J. S. Andrade Jr, and H. J. Herrmann (2008)
PNAS 105, 6222-6226
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Interannual Variability of Global Dust Storms on Mars.
R. M. Haberle and R. M. HABERLE (1986)
Science 234, 459-461
   Abstract »    PDF »
Dust Devils on Mars.
P. Thomas, P. THOMAS, and P. J. GIERASCH (1985)
Science 230, 175-177
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)