ObjectivesSouthern polar region of the Mars planet become an

interesting area for researchers after the recent

discovery of large water body in the Planum Australe

region [1]. The objective of this study is to investigate

the surface hydrology based on the drainage basins and

streamline features or rivers. MOLA DEMs were used

to delineate watershed using ArcGIS. Different tools

from ArcGIS were applied to understand the surface

hydrology of this red planet.

Methodology

References

Abstract

Fig. 1. Study area on

southern polar

region of Mars

(Australe Planum)

Fig. 3. Delineated watershed and stream lines

Fig. 2. Watershed delineation model in ArcGIS using model builder

Fig. 6. Radar evidence of 20 km wide liquid water body in the 200-

km study area [1]

Results

[1] Orosei, R., Lauro, S. E., Pettinelli, E.,

Cicchetti, A., Coradini, M., Cosciotti, B., …

Pajola, M. (2018). Radar evidence of

subglacial liquid water on Mars. Science,

361(6401), 490-493.

[2] Von Paris, P., Petau, A., Grenfell, J. L.,

Hauber, E., Breuer, D., Jaumann, R., …

Tirsch, D. (2015). Estimating precipitation on

early Mars using a radiative-convective

model of the atmosphere and comparison

with inferred runoff from geomorphology.

Planetary and Space Science, 105, 133–147.

SURFACE HYDROLOGICAL MODELLING USING

ARCGIS & HEC-RAS ON THE PLANUM AUSTRALE

REGION OF MARS

Authors: Dr. Khaula Alkaabi1 (Khaula.Alkaabi@uaeu.ac.ae); Eng. Qasim Khan2

1 Geography & Urban Sustainability Department, United Arab Emirates University 2 Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, United Arab Emirates University

Step B: Applying HEC-RAS model to the delineated watershed

A

B

Fit of HEC-RAS Model with ArcGIS Streamlines

Runoff Model using HEC-RAS

Drainage Network Streaml ines

using ArcGIS

Basins A and B in the Planum

Austra le Region

Fig. 4. Applying precipitation to model flow using HEC-RAS

10; 11; 12

Basins Divide

Drainage Network of Planum Australe Region, Mars

Stream Order

Step A: Delineation of watershed and streamlines from DEM

OBJECT

ID

DEM Elevation Fill Elevation

Elev. Difference

in Min due to

sink

Max DEM

Elevation

Min DEM

Elevation

Max Fill

Elevation

Min Fill

Elevation

1 3841 -828.75 3841 313.25 1142

2 4798 -1170 4798 819.25 1989.25

3 4768.75 -112.25 4768.75 950.25 1062.5

4 3308.75 -363.25 3308.75 1265 1628.25

5 3305.25 -1840.25 3305.25 534.25 2374.5

6 3113.75 -350.5 3113.75 825 1175.5

7 3708 -633.5 3708 929 1562.5

Table 1. Z-elevation of DEM before and after applying fill/sink function

The high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM),

derived from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA),

NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft (MGS)

and the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC),

were used to characterise high land fluvial system

quantitatively and qualitatively.

ArcGIS was used to delineate surface drainage

basins, extract valley networks and derive basin

morphometric parameters such as drainage density

and stream order. Hydrologic mapping was extracted

using algorithmic extraction, in the Arc Geographical

Information System, of valley networks from the

DEMs to assess the hydrologic setting of the Planum

Australe. The applied algorithms ranged from the

hydrological tools, fill function, flow direction,

watershed function, and the flow accumulation.

Conclusion

Step C:

Fig. 7. Cross-section C-C’ upstream (see Fig. 5 for C-C’)

Step D:

This study presents the run-off modelling

and the cross-sectional profile originating

from 1.5 km below surface and 20 km

extending sideways liquid water body [1] in

the Planum Australe region.

Future research can examine and apply

different methodologies and approaches to

further investigate the surface hydrological

setting of the newly discovered liquid body

of water at the Planum Australe region and

its related ecosystem.

The topographic profile was generated across

the upstream (C-C’) and downstream (D-D’) of

the study area basins A and B (see Fig. 4). The

two depressions at upstream (Fig. 5) when

combined with the HEC-RAS flow model (Fig.

3) showed that the there were depression-like

continuous structure in both Basins A and B.

The 20 km wide liquid water body, underneath

1.5 km solid ice, was also discovered in the

same area [1].

Fig. 8. Cross-section D-D’ downstream (see Fig. 5 for D-D’)

Fig. 5. Geological map of Basins A and B of Planum Australe, Mars

Source: Map was retrieved from Tanaka et al., (2004).

The runoff model (Fig. 3) has a good fit with

the streamlines generated in ArcGIS (Fig. 4).

This approach of using HEC-RAS provided the

basis of surface flow. The runoff model showed

that the flow velocity was high at the basin A,

possibly due to high flow rate and steep slope

at the upstream. The velocity downstream of

basin B around the craters showed higher value

which indicated the topping of water over

crater boundary. The flooding can be seen

downstream at both the basins which was

largely due to the flat topography.

The red planet Mars, has been a focus for scientists

for decades. This study presents the surface

hydrology based on the drainage basins and

streamline features. The functions and logarithm of

ArcGIS were used to map the hydrological

component of this mysterious planet.

Ninth International

Conference on

MarsJuly 22-25, 2019