BIROn - Birkbeck Institutional Research Online

    Desiccation mechanism for formation of giant polygons on Earth and intermediate-sized polygons on Mars: results from a pre-fracture model

    El-Maarry, Mohamed Ramy and Kodikara, J. and Wijessoriya, S. and Markiewicz, W.J. and Thomas, N. (2012) Desiccation mechanism for formation of giant polygons on Earth and intermediate-sized polygons on Mars: results from a pre-fracture model. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 323-32 , pp. 19-26. ISSN 0012-821X.

    Full text not available from this repository.

    Abstract

    We present a pre-fracture incrementally non-linear elastic–hydric model to constrain the models of formation of giant (spacing of 20–300 m) desiccation cracks on Earth, and possibly intermediate sized (80 to 350 m) polygonal networks of cracks located in many impact craters on Mars which have been interpreted to form by desiccation as opposed to thermal contraction (El Maarry et al., 2010). The results of the model show that tensile stresses rise monotonically with desiccation. However, in soils with diffusivities below 10− 4 m2/s, it is not possible to generate high enough stresses to cause fracturing. On the other hand, intermediate values between 10− 2 and 10− 4 m2/s create optimum conditions for the formation of cracks at the time scales suggested for the formation of giant desiccation polygons on Earth. Our model clearly shows that for typical diffusivity values of clayey soils with a considerable amount of smectites enough stress can build up to stimulate cracking of various spatial scales. These results corroborate earlier assumptions that giant desiccation polygons on Earth occur through lowering of the water table rather than surface evaporation. Extending the model to Mars shows that soils would crack within similar diffusivity limits but in slightly longer periods of time owing to the lower gravity. Finally, a model for formation of desiccation cracks on Mars is presented that shows that two main conditions need to be fulfilled for desiccation cracks to occur under current martian climatic conditions, namely, that the thermal and soil diffusivity conditions 1) allow for the formation of an unsaturated zone with a considerable thickness while at the same time 2) limiting the growth of the permafrost downward which would disrupt the cracking process.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Earth, Mars, desiccation, polygonal cracks, lakes
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences
    Depositing User: Administrator
    Date Deposited: 17 Oct 2018 12:34
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:45
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/24708

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    0Downloads
    6 month trend
    131Hits

    Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.

    Archive Staff Only (login required)

    Edit/View Item Edit/View Item