Simple Non-fluvial Models of Planetary Surface Modification, with Application

Introduction: Simple models of geomorphic modification of planetary surfaces by erosion or deposition are reported here. These processes are linear and non-linear creep, uniform accrescence and decrescence, and non-linear airfall deposition. They do not include models of flow whose depth is of the same order of magnitude as the landform, such as glacial flow or relaxation of crater forms in planetary ices. The models are applied to a simulated saturation cratered surface whose dimensions are 25.6 x 25.6 km and represented on a 256 x 256 grid, using crater statistics from [1] (Fig. 1). Creep: Creep is the lateral transport of surface materials under the influence of gravity. A model of creep with theoretical, experimental, and terrestrial observational evidence has been proposed by [2]. The creep flux, q, is given by: ( ) 1 c q S S S ⎡ = − ⎣ ⎦ , (1)