Public Seminar by PhD Candidate Under Supervison of Dr. Joseph Michalski

A Public Seminar entitled: Some geomorphological features in the Qaidam basin, northwest China and implications for comparable landforms on Mars, will be delivered by: Ms. CHENG Ruilin, Department of Earth Sciences, under supervision of our LSR Deputy Director Dr. Joseph Michalski.

Date: 17/09/2020
Time: 09:00 am
Venue: Room 104, James Lee Science Building / Zoom link: https://hku.zoom.us/j/95321361750?pwd=dlg1OGVoMVJzMXVLc1dyRDBiOXBUZz09(Meeting ID: 953 2136 1750, Password: 621854)

Abstract:
A major component of the geological exploration of Mars is the interpretation of complex landforms, and how these features (such as gullies or patterned ground) relate to ancient climate and specific geological processes. The Qaidam Basin, a recently proposed terrestrial analog of Mars because of its morphology, mineralogy and environment, may bear clues to these questions. Three types of geomorphological features are discovered and investigated in the Qaidam Basin: a type of raised-rim polygons with a unique pattern (jigsaw polygons), brain terrains, and linear gullies. The morphological and compositional study of these features suggests the role of liquid water under an arid climate in their formations. These features provide implications of alternative mechanisms in interpreting their comparable landforms on Mars, which are possibly related to the liquid water but may not require a warm and wet climate of Mars.

Contact Information:
Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Ms. Cheng Ruilin, ruilin10@connect.hku.hk .