A Classification of Martian Gullies

A Classification of Martian Gullies from HiRISE Imagery

Authors:

Auld et al

Abstract:

Due to the large and varied population of gullies observed in Mars High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) imagery that exhibit diverse characteristics, this paper develops a classification of martian gullies based on their morphological characteristics. This provides a firmer foundation for future investigation of the genesis of different gully morphologies. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) image catalog on the HiRISE website was examined and 869 images, chosen from the first 25,000 orbits, show a wide variety of gully morphologies. The images were analyzed using ENVI 4.4 and ENVI Zoom and the gullies were cataloged and divided into groups based on the presence and character of the dominant morphological components of alcove, channel, and apron associated with each gully. 7519 gullies were identified in the images and the length and width of the components were measured in ENVI to facilitate classification. Seven classes were developed based on morphology.