Modern Mars' geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity

Extensive evidence of landform-scale martian geomorphic changes has been acquired in the last decade, and number range examples surface activity have increased as more high-resolution imagery acquired. Within present-day Mars climate, wind frost/ice are dominant drivers, resulting large avalanches material down icy, rocky, or sandy slopes; sediment transport leading to many scales aeolian bedforms erosion; pits various forms patterned ground; substrate carved out from under subliming ice slabs. Due ability collect correlated observations new landforms with relevant environmental conditions spacecraft on around Mars, studies geomorphologic uniquely positioned directly test surface-atmosphere interaction landform formation/evolution models outside Earth. In this paper, we outline currently observed interpreted occurring within modern environment, tie wind, seasonal CO2 frost/ice, sublimation subsurface water ice, and/or gravity drivers. Open questions regarding these processes outlined, then measurements needed for answering identified. final sections, discuss how may provide useful analogs active other planetary surfaces, an emphasis those that stretch bounds terrestrial-based lack terrestrial analogs. ways, presents a natural powerful comparative planetology base case Solar System processes, beyond instead