Progress and prospects for research on Martian topographic features and typical landform identification

• Published in: Frontiers in astronomy and space sciences Vol. 10
• Main Authors: Liu, Danyang, Cheng, Weiming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 02.11.2023
• Subjects: landform classification; Mars science; Martian mapping; Martian topography; target recognition
• ISSN: 2296-987X; 2296-987X
• DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2023.1275516

The study of Martian surface topography is important for understanding the geological evolution of Mars and revealing the spatial differentiation of the Martian landscape. Identifying typical landform units is a fundamental task when studying the origin and evolution of Mars and provides important information for landing on and exploring Mars, as well as estimating the age of the Martian surface and inferring the evolution of the Earth’s environment. In this paper, we first investigate Mars exploration, data acquisition and mapping, and the classification methods of Martian landforms. Then, the identification of several typical Martian landform types, such as aeolian landforms, fluvial landforms, and impact landforms, is shown in detail. Finally, the prospects of Mars data acquisition, landform mapping, and the construction and identification of the Martian landform classification system are presented. The construction of the Martian landform classification system and the identification of typical Martian landforms using deep learning are important development directions in planetary science.