The Curiosity rover is now poised to explore Geddis Vallis, a snake-like channel that could be the remains of ancient river. NASA takes up the story:

NASA’s Curiosity rover has begun exploring a new region of Mars, one that could reveal more about when liquid water disappeared once and for all from the Red Planet’s surface. Billions of years ago, Mars was much wetter and probably warmer than it is today. Curiosity is getting a new look into that more Earth-like past as it drives along and eventually crosses the Gediz Vallis channel, a winding, snake-like feature that – from space, at least – appears to have been carved by an ancient river.

That possibility has scientists intrigued. The rover team is searching for evidence that would confirm how the channel was carved into the underlying bedrock. The formation’s sides are steep enough that the team doesn’t think the channel was made by wind. However, debris flows (rapid, wet landslides) or a river carrying rocks and sediment could have had enough energy to chisel into the bedrock. After the channel formed, it was filled with boulders and other debris. Scientists are also eager to learn whether this material was transported by debris flows or dry avalanches.

360 degree video view here

Full Report

In the image below, Geddis Vallis is the winding gully traversing the scene, while the yellow trail is the path of Curiosity to its current position.

Don’t know how I managed to misspell the gully, which is Gediz Vallis, not Geddis Vallis.

I work with extremely dry soil/dust, and have found that it flows like a river, as all the particles repel each other and flow downhill.

Also, this type of “river” is also visible at the bottom of the ocean as a turbid flow.

I think it’s likely that it’s a dust flow that has gouged the river bed visible in these pics.

Bubblecar said:

The Curiosity rover is now poised to explore Geddis Vallis, a snake-like channel that could be the remains of ancient river. NASA takes up the story:

NASA’s Curiosity rover has begun exploring a new region of Mars, one that could reveal more about when liquid water disappeared once and for all from the Red Planet’s surface. Billions of years ago, Mars was much wetter and probably warmer than it is today. Curiosity is getting a new look into that more Earth-like past as it drives along and eventually crosses the Gediz Vallis channel, a winding, snake-like feature that – from space, at least – appears to have been carved by an ancient river.

That possibility has scientists intrigued. The rover team is searching for evidence that would confirm how the channel was carved into the underlying bedrock. The formation’s sides are steep enough that the team doesn’t think the channel was made by wind. However, debris flows (rapid, wet landslides) or a river carrying rocks and sediment could have had enough energy to chisel into the bedrock. After the channel formed, it was filled with boulders and other debris. Scientists are also eager to learn whether this material was transported by debris flows or dry avalanches.

360 degree video view here

Full Report

In the image below, Geddis Vallis is the winding gully traversing the scene, while the yellow trail is the path of Curiosity to its current position.

Good