Part 9/14:
The breakthroughs were possible through advanced digital elevation models (DEMs)—high-resolution, 3D maps of the Martian surface created from satellite imagery. These models enabled researchers to measure the dimensions of landslide ridges, assess the flow thickness, and evaluate the materials involved.
By analyzing the relationships between wavelengths of ridges and the depths of landslides, scientists confirmed a fundamental pattern: the wavelength of ridges is about two to three times their thickness. This ratio had previously been observed only in laboratory experiments, not on natural terrains. Now, the correlation in the field supports the convection-driven model explaining the landslides’ exceptional runout distances without requiring ice or external lubricants.