LARGE-SCALE GYPSUM RIDGES IN THE QAIDAM BASIN, IMPLICATIONS TO THE FORMATION OF IRREGULAR POLYGONAL RIDGES ON MARS
Seminars
Semester 2
Recent studies have shown that the gypsum ridges in the Qaidam Basin serve as conduits for subsurface methane migration. The striking morphologic similarities between these terrestrial structures and the irregular polygonal ridges on Mars suggest that analogous tectonic pathways could explain episodic atmospheric methane fluctuations observed on Mars, providing new insights into the genesis of methane on Mars. However, the depositional mechanisms and evolutionary processes that determine the development of gypsum ridge remain poorly understood. In this study, an integrated methodology combining field surveys, drone-based geomorphic mapping, and mineralogical analyses is applied. The main results show that fracture-induced gypsum precipitation results from the mixing between upwelling subsurface brines and surface saline waters, challenging conventional models for deposition by evaporation. This subsurface-mediated mechanism represents a paradigm shift in understanding the formation of irregular polygonal ridges on Mars and emphasizes subsurface brine migration through salt-tectonic conduits. These results provide important terrestrial analogs to advance our understanding of ancient aqueous systems on Mars and aim to explore astrobiologically valuable environments in the ongoing search for life on Mars.
Additional Information: Mr. LI Zikang, zikang94@connect.hku.hk