Hydrological characteristics of recurrent slope lineae on Mars: Evidence for liquid flow through regolith and comparisons with Antarctic terrestrial analogs

On the basis of their morphology and seasonal thermal characteristics, recurrent slope lineae (RSL) on Mars have been inferred to be a possible result of the flow of a liquid (likely a saline brine) through the upper portions of the martian regolith. In this note, we analyze repeat HiRISE imaging of RSL to show that the downslope growth rate of recurrent slope lineae is well-fit by an elementary groundwater flow model that also describes the downslope propagat on of Antarctic water tracks (terrestrial analogs to RSL), and that the apparent permeability of RSL-bearing slopes is consistent with the observed sandy regolith substrate. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.