Colin Dundas, Ph.D.
Colin Dundas is a Research Geologist with the Astrogeology Science Center. He studies planetary geomorphology and surface processes using spacecraft imagery and topography data as well as numerical modeling, with a particular focus on active processes and change detection. He is a Co-Investigator and Science Theme Lead for Mass Wasting on the HiRISE camera team.
Past and current research areas include:
- Current activity on Martian slopes, including Recurring Slope Lineae and changes in gullies
- Martian ground ice, ice-exposing impact craters and scarps, and sublimation-thermokarst landforms
- Large lava flows and lava-volatile interactions on Mars, Io, and Earth
- Effects of target properties and secondary craters on crater chronology
- Floods in Martian outflow channels
- Volatile-loss landforms in the Solar System
Professional Experience
2009-2011: Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona.
2011 - Present: Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Planetary Science (Geoscience minor), The University of Arizona, 2009
B.S., Planetary Science, California Institute of Technology, 2004
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 77
HiRISE observations of Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) during southern summer on Mars
Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) are active features on Mars that might require flowing water. Most examples observed through 2011 formed on steep, equator-facing slopes in the southern mid-latitudes. They form and grow during warm seasons and fade and often completely disappear during colder seasons, but recur over multiple Mars years. They are recognizable by their incremental growth, relatively low
Authors
Lujendra Ojha, Alfred McEwen, Colin M. Dundas, Shane Byrne, Sarah Mattson, James Wray, Marion Masse, Ethan Schaefer
Recurring slope lineae in equatorial regions of Mars
The presence of liquid water is a requirement of habitability on a planet. Possible indicators of liquid surface water on Mars include intermittent flow-like features observed on sloping terrains. These recurring slope lineae are narrow, dark markings on steep slopes that appear and incrementally lengthen during warm seasons on low-albedo surfaces. The lineae fade in cooler seasons and recur over
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, Colin M. Dundas, Sarah S. Mattson, Anthony D. Toigo, Lujendra Ojha, James J. Wray, Matthew Chojnacki, Shane Byrne, Scott L. Murchie, Nicolas Thomas
HiRISE observations of new impact craters exposing Martian ground ice
Twenty small new impact craters or clusters have been observed to excavate bright material inferred to be ice at mid and high latitudes on Mars. In the northern hemisphere, the craters are widely distributed geographically and occur at latitudes as low as 39°N. Stability modeling suggests that this ice distribution requires a long-term average atmospheric water vapor content around 25 precipitable
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Shane Byrne, Alfred S. McEwen, Michael T. Mellon, Megan R. Kennedy, Ingrid J. Daubar, Lee Saper
Modeling steam pressure under martian lava flows
Rootless cones on Mars are a valuable indicator of past interactions between lava and water. However, the details of the lava–water interactions are not fully understood, limiting the ability to use these features to infer new information about past water on Mars. We have developed a model for the pressurization of a dry layer of porous regolith by melting and boiling ground ice in the shallow sub
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi
A new dry hypothesis for the formation of Martian linear gullies
Long, narrow grooves found on the slopes of martian sand dunes have been cited as evidence of liquid water via the hypothesis that melt-water initiated debris flows eroded channels and deposited lateral levées. However, this theory has several short-comings for explaining the observed morphology and activity of these linear gullies. We present an alternative hypothesis that is consistent with the
Authors
Serina Diniega, Candice J. Hansen, Jim N. McElwaine, C.H. Hugenholtz, Colin M. Dundas, Alfred S. McEwen, Mary C. Bourke
Seasonal activity and morphological changes in martian gullies
Recent studies of martian dune and non-dune gullies have suggested a seasonal control on present-day gully activity. The timing of current gully activity, especially activity involving the formation or modification of channels (which commonly have been taken as evidence of fluvial processes), has important implications regarding likely gully formation processes and necessary environmental conditio
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Serina Diniega, Candice J. Hansen, Shane Byrne, Alfred S. McEwen
Columbus crater and other possible groundwater-fed paleolakes of Terra Sirenum, Mars
Columbus crater in the Terra Sirenum region of the Martian southern highlands contains light‐toned layered deposits with interbedded sulfate and phyllosilicate minerals, a rare occurrence on Mars. Here we investigate in detail the morphology, thermophysical properties, mineralogy, and stratigraphy of these deposits; explore their regional context; and interpret the crater's aqueous history. Hydrat
Authors
J.J. Wray, R.E. Milliken, Colin M. Dundas, Gregg A. Swayze, J. C. Andrews-Hanna, A.M. Baldridge, M. Chojnacki, J.L. Bishop, B.L. Ehlmann, S.L. Murchie, Roger N. Clark, F.P. Seelos, L.L. Tornabene, S. W. Squyres
Measurements of Martian dust devil winds with HiRISE
We report wind measurements within Martian dust devils observed in plan view from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) orbiting Mars. The central color swath of the HiRISE instrument has three separate charge‐coupled devices (CCDs) and color filters that observe the surface in rapid cadence. Active features, such as dust devils, appear in motion when observed by this region of t
Authors
D.S. Choi, Colin M. Dundas
Seasonal erosion and restoration of Mars' northern polar dunes
Despite radically different environmental conditions, terrestrial and martian dunes bear a strong resemblance, indicating that the basic processes of saltation and grainfall (sand avalanching down the dune slipface) operate on both worlds. Here, we show that martian dunes are subject to an additional modification process not found on Earth: springtime sublimation of Mars' CO 2 seasonal polar caps.
Authors
C.J. Hansen, M. Bourke, Nathan T. Bridges, Shane Byrne, C. Colon, S. Diniega, Colin M. Dundas, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, A. McEwen, M. Mellon, Ganna Portyankina, N. Thomas
Seasonal flows on warm Martian slopes
Water probably flowed across ancient Mars, but whether it ever exists as a liquid on the surface today remains debatable. Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5 to 5 meters), relatively dark markings on steep (25° to 40°) slopes; repeat images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment show them to appear and incrementally grow during warm seasons and fad
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, Lujendra Ojha, Colin M. Dundas, Sarah S. Mattson, Shane Byrne, James J. Wray, Selby C. Cull, Scott L. Murchie, Nicolas Thomas, Virginia C. Gulick
Hydrovolcanic features on Mars: Preliminary analysis of one Mars year of HiRISE observations
We provide an overview of features indicative of the interaction between water and lava and/or magma on Mars as seen by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera during the Primary Science Phase of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission. The ability to confidently resolve meter-scale features from orbit has been extremely useful in the study of the most pristine example
Authors
Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Windy L. Jaeger, Colin M. Dundas, Sara Martinez-Alonso, Alfred S. McEwen, Moses P. Milazzo
Crater population and resurfacing of the Martian north polar layered deposits
Present‐day accumulation in the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) is thought to occur via deposition on the north polar residual cap. Understanding current mass balance in relation to current climate would provide insight into the climatic record of the NPLD. To constrain processes and rates of NPLD resurfacing, a search for craters was conducted using images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Authors
Maria E. Banks, Shane Byrne, Kapil Galla, Alfred S. McEwen, Veronica J. Bray, Colin M. Dundas, Kathryn E. Fishbaugh, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Bruce C. Murray
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 77
HiRISE observations of Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) during southern summer on Mars
Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) are active features on Mars that might require flowing water. Most examples observed through 2011 formed on steep, equator-facing slopes in the southern mid-latitudes. They form and grow during warm seasons and fade and often completely disappear during colder seasons, but recur over multiple Mars years. They are recognizable by their incremental growth, relatively low
Authors
Lujendra Ojha, Alfred McEwen, Colin M. Dundas, Shane Byrne, Sarah Mattson, James Wray, Marion Masse, Ethan Schaefer
Recurring slope lineae in equatorial regions of Mars
The presence of liquid water is a requirement of habitability on a planet. Possible indicators of liquid surface water on Mars include intermittent flow-like features observed on sloping terrains. These recurring slope lineae are narrow, dark markings on steep slopes that appear and incrementally lengthen during warm seasons on low-albedo surfaces. The lineae fade in cooler seasons and recur over
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, Colin M. Dundas, Sarah S. Mattson, Anthony D. Toigo, Lujendra Ojha, James J. Wray, Matthew Chojnacki, Shane Byrne, Scott L. Murchie, Nicolas Thomas
HiRISE observations of new impact craters exposing Martian ground ice
Twenty small new impact craters or clusters have been observed to excavate bright material inferred to be ice at mid and high latitudes on Mars. In the northern hemisphere, the craters are widely distributed geographically and occur at latitudes as low as 39°N. Stability modeling suggests that this ice distribution requires a long-term average atmospheric water vapor content around 25 precipitable
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Shane Byrne, Alfred S. McEwen, Michael T. Mellon, Megan R. Kennedy, Ingrid J. Daubar, Lee Saper
Modeling steam pressure under martian lava flows
Rootless cones on Mars are a valuable indicator of past interactions between lava and water. However, the details of the lava–water interactions are not fully understood, limiting the ability to use these features to infer new information about past water on Mars. We have developed a model for the pressurization of a dry layer of porous regolith by melting and boiling ground ice in the shallow sub
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi
A new dry hypothesis for the formation of Martian linear gullies
Long, narrow grooves found on the slopes of martian sand dunes have been cited as evidence of liquid water via the hypothesis that melt-water initiated debris flows eroded channels and deposited lateral levées. However, this theory has several short-comings for explaining the observed morphology and activity of these linear gullies. We present an alternative hypothesis that is consistent with the
Authors
Serina Diniega, Candice J. Hansen, Jim N. McElwaine, C.H. Hugenholtz, Colin M. Dundas, Alfred S. McEwen, Mary C. Bourke
Seasonal activity and morphological changes in martian gullies
Recent studies of martian dune and non-dune gullies have suggested a seasonal control on present-day gully activity. The timing of current gully activity, especially activity involving the formation or modification of channels (which commonly have been taken as evidence of fluvial processes), has important implications regarding likely gully formation processes and necessary environmental conditio
Authors
Colin M. Dundas, Serina Diniega, Candice J. Hansen, Shane Byrne, Alfred S. McEwen
Columbus crater and other possible groundwater-fed paleolakes of Terra Sirenum, Mars
Columbus crater in the Terra Sirenum region of the Martian southern highlands contains light‐toned layered deposits with interbedded sulfate and phyllosilicate minerals, a rare occurrence on Mars. Here we investigate in detail the morphology, thermophysical properties, mineralogy, and stratigraphy of these deposits; explore their regional context; and interpret the crater's aqueous history. Hydrat
Authors
J.J. Wray, R.E. Milliken, Colin M. Dundas, Gregg A. Swayze, J. C. Andrews-Hanna, A.M. Baldridge, M. Chojnacki, J.L. Bishop, B.L. Ehlmann, S.L. Murchie, Roger N. Clark, F.P. Seelos, L.L. Tornabene, S. W. Squyres
Measurements of Martian dust devil winds with HiRISE
We report wind measurements within Martian dust devils observed in plan view from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) orbiting Mars. The central color swath of the HiRISE instrument has three separate charge‐coupled devices (CCDs) and color filters that observe the surface in rapid cadence. Active features, such as dust devils, appear in motion when observed by this region of t
Authors
D.S. Choi, Colin M. Dundas
Seasonal erosion and restoration of Mars' northern polar dunes
Despite radically different environmental conditions, terrestrial and martian dunes bear a strong resemblance, indicating that the basic processes of saltation and grainfall (sand avalanching down the dune slipface) operate on both worlds. Here, we show that martian dunes are subject to an additional modification process not found on Earth: springtime sublimation of Mars' CO 2 seasonal polar caps.
Authors
C.J. Hansen, M. Bourke, Nathan T. Bridges, Shane Byrne, C. Colon, S. Diniega, Colin M. Dundas, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, A. McEwen, M. Mellon, Ganna Portyankina, N. Thomas
Seasonal flows on warm Martian slopes
Water probably flowed across ancient Mars, but whether it ever exists as a liquid on the surface today remains debatable. Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5 to 5 meters), relatively dark markings on steep (25° to 40°) slopes; repeat images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment show them to appear and incrementally grow during warm seasons and fad
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, Lujendra Ojha, Colin M. Dundas, Sarah S. Mattson, Shane Byrne, James J. Wray, Selby C. Cull, Scott L. Murchie, Nicolas Thomas, Virginia C. Gulick
Hydrovolcanic features on Mars: Preliminary analysis of one Mars year of HiRISE observations
We provide an overview of features indicative of the interaction between water and lava and/or magma on Mars as seen by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera during the Primary Science Phase of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission. The ability to confidently resolve meter-scale features from orbit has been extremely useful in the study of the most pristine example
Authors
Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Windy L. Jaeger, Colin M. Dundas, Sara Martinez-Alonso, Alfred S. McEwen, Moses P. Milazzo
Crater population and resurfacing of the Martian north polar layered deposits
Present‐day accumulation in the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) is thought to occur via deposition on the north polar residual cap. Understanding current mass balance in relation to current climate would provide insight into the climatic record of the NPLD. To constrain processes and rates of NPLD resurfacing, a search for craters was conducted using images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Authors
Maria E. Banks, Shane Byrne, Kapil Galla, Alfred S. McEwen, Veronica J. Bray, Colin M. Dundas, Kathryn E. Fishbaugh, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Bruce C. Murray