Colin Dundas, PhD
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.
Biography
Ph.D., Planetary Science (Geoscience minor), The University of Arizona, 2009
B.S., Planetary Science, California Institute of Technology, 2004
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
Science and Products
The Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) science goals and instrument trades in radar, imaging, and spectroscopy
The Mars Orbiter for Resources, Ices, and Environments (MORIE) was selected as one of NASA's 2019 Planetary Mission Concept Studies. The mission builds upon recent discoveries and current knowledge gaps linked to two primary scientific questions: (1) when did elements of the cryosphere form and how are ice deposits linked to current, recent, and...
Calvin, Wendy M.; Putzig, Nathaniel E.; Dundas, Colin M.; Bramson, Ali M; Horgan, Briony H N; Seelos, Kim D; Sizemore, Hanna G; Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Morgan, Gareth A; Holt, John W; Murchie, Scott L.; Patterson, G Wesley Modern Mars' geomorphological activity, driven by wind, frost, and gravity
Extensive evidence of landform-scale martian geomorphic changes has been acquired in the last decade, and the number and range of examples of surface activity have increased as more high-resolution imagery has been acquired. Within the present-day Mars climate, wind and frost/ice are the dominant drivers, resulting in large avalanches of material...
Diniega, Serina; Bramson, Ali M; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Buhler, Peter; Burr, Devon M; Chojnacki, Matthew; Conway, Susan J.; Dundas, Colin M.; Hansen, Candice J.; McEwen, Alfred S.; Lapotre, Mathieu G.A.; Levy, Joseph S.; McKeown, Lauren; Piqueux, Sylvain; Portyankina, Ganna; Swann, Christy; Titus, Timothy N.; Widmer, Jacob Widespread exposures of extensive clean shallow ice in the mid-latitudes of Mars
Although ice in the Martian midlatitudes is typically covered by a layer of dust or regolith, it is exposed in some locations by fresh impact craters or in erosional scarps. In both cases, the exposed ice is massive or excess ice with a low lithic content. We find that erosional scarps occur between 50° and 61° north and south latitude and that...
Dundas, Colin M.; Mellon, Michael T.; Conway, Susan J.; Daubar, Ingrid J.; Williams, Kaj; Ojha, Lujendra; Wray, James J.; Bramson, Ali; Byrne, Shane; McEwen, Alfred S.; Posiolova, Liliya; Speth, Gunnar; Viola, Donna; Landis, Margaret E.; Morgan, Gareth A; Pathare, Asmin V Lava–water interaction and hydrothermal activity within the 2014–2015 Holuhraun Lava Flow Field, Iceland
Lava that erupted during the 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption in Iceland flowed into a proglacial river system, resulting in aqueous cooling of the lava and an ephemeral hydrothermal system. We carried out a monitoring study of this system from 2015 to 2018 to document the cooling of the lava over this time, using thermocouple measurements and data-...
Dundas, Colin M.; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.; Lev, Einat; Rumpf, Mary (Elise); Hamilton, Christopher W.; Hoskuldsson, Armann; Thordarson, Thorvaldur Mars orbiter for resources, ices, and environments (MORIE)
The MORIE mission concept study examined the science and technical trade space to address high priority questions related to ice reservoirs and environmental transitions. The study team converged on a medium-class SEP-enabled orbiter with seven instruments to unlock the extent and volume of subsurface ice and geologic sequence stratigraphy through...
Calvin, Wendy M.; Putzig, Nathaniel E.; Holt, John W; Bramson, Ali M; Dundas, Colin M.; Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Horgan, Briony H. N.; Morgan, Gareth A; Murchie, Scott L.; Patterson, G Wesley; Seelos, Kimberly D.; Sizemore, Hanna G; Matousek, Steve; Woolley, Ryan; Brinoccolo, Carlos; Scott, Valerie; Stuurman, Cassie; Wheeler, Kevin; Sutin, Brian; Lane, Marc; Barba, Nathan; Gontijo, Ivair; Park, Katherine; Burgin, Mariko; Hensley, Scott; Martin, Jan; Biancone, Jean; Hinkle, David; Insua, Barbara Geomorphological evidence for a dry dust avalanche origin of slope streaks on Mars
Mars has several different types of slope feature that resemble aqueous flows. However, the current cold, dry conditions are inimical to liquid water, resulting in uncertainty about its role in modern surface processes. Dark slope streaks were among the first distinctive young slope features to be identified on Mars and the first with activity...
Dundas, Colin M. Sparse subsurface radar reflectors in Hellas Planitia, Mars
Geomorphological features potentially related to subsurface ice, such as scalloped depressions, expanded craters, pedestal craters, and banded terrain, are present in and around Hellas Planitia, Mars. We present a radar survey of the region using the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) instrument on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to identify...
Cook, Claire W; Bramson, Ali M; Byrne, Shane; Holt, John W; Christoffersen, Michael S; Viola, Donna; Dundas, Colin M.; Goudge, Timothy A An aeolian grainflow model for Martian Recurring Slope Lineae
Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) on Mars have been enigmatic since their discovery; their behavior resembles a seeping liquid but sources of water remain puzzling. This work demonstrates that the properties of RSL are consistent with observed behaviors of Martian and terrestrial aeolian processes. Specifically, RSL are well-explained as flows of sand...
Dundas, Colin M. Present-day mass wasting in sulfate-rich sediments in the equatorial regions of Mars
Present-day topographic changes are observed on steep slopes in equatorial regions of Mars that are associated with sulfate-rich sediments. Hydrated sulfates are known to be present in many sedimentary deposits on Mars. We document volume changes in the form of mass movements and gullies over these regions. We have estimated erosion rates of ~12...
Thomas, Melissa F; McEwen, Alfred S.; Dundas, Colin M. Report from the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis group (ICE-SAG)
This document is the final report of the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis Group (ICESAG) that was formed by the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) as part of its preparations for the upcoming NASA Planetary Science Decadal Survey for 2023 through 2032 (see §1). Through telecons, one face-to-face meeting, and discussions with...
Putzig, Than; Diniega, Serina; Dundas, Colin M.; Titus, Timothy N. Active boulder movement at high Martian latitudes
Lobate stony landforms occur on steep slopes at high latitudes on Mars. We demonstrate active boulder movement at seven such sites. Sub-meter-scale boulders frequently move distances of a few meters. The movement is concentrated in the vicinity of the lobate landforms but also occurs on other slopes. This provides evidence for a new, common style...
Dundas, Colin M.; Mellon, Michael T.; Conway, Susan J.; Gastineau, Renaldo Dark halos produced by current impact cratering on Mars
Hundreds of new impact craters have been observed to form on Mars since spacecraft began imaging that planet. New impact craters produced visible ejecta deposits and many of them also have visible rays, similar to lunar and mercurian craters. However, some of the new martian impact craters have a circular feature of relatively...
Bart, Gwendolyn D.; Daubar, Ingrid J.; Ivanov, Boris A; Dundas, Colin M.; McEwen, Alfred S.
3-D Structure of Buried Ice Sheets on Mars Revealed by High-Resolution Images
For the first time, high-resolution images show the three-dimensional structure of massive ice deposits on Mars. According to an in-depth analysis led by the USGS, the images reveal never-before-observed details about the ice sheets, including that some begin just a few feet below the Martian surface and extend to depths greater than 300 feet.
Previous Evidence of Water on Mars Now Identified as Grainflows
Dark features previously proposed as evidence for significant liquid water flowing on Mars have now been identified as granular flows, where sand and dust move rather than liquid water, according to a new article published in Nature Geoscience by the U.S. Geological Survey.