What geologic process could have formed the channel on Mars?

Question

Use your Reasoning Tool from Lesson 3.3 to help you write an argument to answer this question.
Refer to Components of a Written Scientific Argument in your Digital Resources and the Word Bank below, as needed.
Be convincing; show the audience how your claim is clearly supported by the evidence.

Answer 1

Claim: The channels on Mars were primarily formed by ancient fluvial processes, meaning they were shaped by flowing water, likely from rivers or streams.

Evidence: Numerous geological features observed on the Martian surface, such as the presence of streamlined landforms, valley networks, and sedimentary layers, provide strong support for this claim. Orbital imagery reveals wide, U-shaped valleys resembling those carved by rivers on Earth. Additionally, analyses of the Martian soil and rocks have discovered minerals, such as clays and sulfates, that are typically associated with the presence of water. These features suggest that liquid water once flowed across the Martian surface in significant amounts.

Reasoning: The correlation between the observed channel morphology and known geological processes on Earth serves as a powerful indicator of the processes that shaped Mars. On our planet, rivers sculpt landscapes by eroding soil and rock, creating channels over time. The similarities in channel structures between Mars and Earth suggest that similar processes occurred on Mars during a warm and wet period in its history. Furthermore, the presence of minerals formed in aqueous environments indicates that water played a central role during the time these channels were active.

Considering the current climate conditions on Mars, where liquid water cannot exist for extended periods at the surface, it is logical to conclude that the channels we observe today are remnants of a wetter Mars, supporting the idea that flowing water was the prime agent of erosion and formation of these channels.

Conclusion: In summary, the geological evidence strongly supports the conclusion that the channels on Mars were formed by ancient fluvial processes. The similarities to Earth’s river-cut landscapes, coupled with the mineralogy indicative of past aqueous environments, make a compelling case for the role of water in shaping Martian geology. Thus, the channels we see today are remnants of a once more habitable planet, shaped by the powerful forces of flowing water.