Boulder Fall Ejecta: Present Day Activity on Mars

Boulder falls are an archives of recent surface activity on Mars, however, determining how recently they fell remains elusive. Our multitemporal HiRISE image analysis shows that new tracks are characterized by a herringbone-like ejecta pattern at each boulder bounce that we call boulder fall ejecta (BFE). First systematic survey of BFE revealed similar to 4,500 tracks whose total integrated track length is similar to 900 km. Our BFE longevity analysis reveals that these tracks likely formed in the last few decades. From few examples we also observed slope streaks originating from BFE tracks, providing additional evidence favoring a dry origin theory. BFE fade in as little as similar to 2 to 4 Mars years, whereas, others can persist >6 Mars years suggesting differential weathering. Nearly 30% of BFE are observed in the Cerberus Fossae region, which suggests it is one of the most seismically active regions. Thus, BFE can be used to recognize very recent surface processes on planetary surfaces.

Automated summary

Boulder falls on Mars are a record of recent surface activity. Analysis of boulder fall ejecta (BFE) suggests that these tracks likely formed in the last few decades, providing additional evidence for a dry origin theory. The longevity of BFE varies, with the Cerberus Fossae region being one of the most seismically active areas.