2013 年 69 巻 4 号 p. I_1129-I_1134
The spiral troughs observed on the surface of Mars' north polar ice cap show upstream-migrating structures, which indicate that those may possibly be cyclic steps formed by a density current created by cooling of the atmosphere due to the ice. It can be useful to estimate the formative process of the Mars' polar ice cap and thus the climatic history of Mars using the analogues of cyclic steps on the Earth. In this study, we have performed a series of physical experiments aimed at the formation of cyclic steps on ice by flowing fluid. Temperature distribution plays a quite important role for the formation and development of step topography on the ice surface, and was set as ice ‹ fluid ‹ ambient air in this experiment. As a result, step topography was formed on the ice except the case whose Fr is lowest, i.e., 0.76, and the steps generally developed upstream direction. The results of the present experiment agree with the mathematical model describing the evolution of the ice surface by flowing fluid.