An international research collaboration spearheaded by scientists from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) has succeeded in developing a mathematical model capable of decoding how cracks form on planetary surfaces. This innovative framework offers a new tool for identifying areas where water may have once been present, according to a joint announcement from the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network and BME.
Planetary bodies are frequently covered by thin, fractured crusts. In partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, researchers from the HUN-REN-BME Morphodynamics Research Group designed a model that describes the temporal evolution of these fracture networks. Their findings were published on Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
At the heart of the study lies a mathematical model that can approximately reconstruct the entire developmental history of a crack pattern based on a single photograph. Developed by Hungarian scientists, the model builds upon prior research co-authored with Péter Bálint, director of BME’s Institute of Mathematics. Notably, this approach marks the first time such a method has been applied to surface patterns on planetary bodies.
The model relies on fundamental characteristics of the photographed crack pattern, particularly the geometry of its junctions. Through a combination of analytical and numerical calculations, the researchers identified three principal types of crack formations.
Hierarchical crack patterns, dominated by T-junctions, are characterized by sequentially forming fractures, with new cracks following the paths of existing ones. These patterns are commonly found on the drying surfaces of Earth and the fractured terrain of Venus.
Cyclically expanding and contracting crack patterns, marked by Y-junctions, emerge from repetitive volume changes in the surface material, often influenced by the presence of water. Mars, for instance, displays such features, which are believed to have been shaped by historical water activity.
Crack patterns dominated by X-junctions appear on icy surfaces, such as that of Jupiter’s moon Europa. There, newly forming fractures frequently cross older ones due to the healing effects of refreezing ice, which paves the way for fresh pattern development.
According to the Hungarian and American research team, analysing crack geometries could help locate regions on planetary surfaces where water once existed or may still be present. On Mars, hexagonal crack networks imply periodic water movement in the planet’s past, while the cross-cutting fractures of Europa bolster theories of a subsurface ocean potentially capable of supporting life.
The newly developed model offers a foundation for the systematic mapping of crack networks through advanced image analysis techniques. With its implementation, vast datasets from planetary images can swiftly yield geological insights.
‘Just as a single photograph can tell an entire story in art, we deduce the past and future of a crack pattern from combinatorial averages measurable in its current state. These patterns evolve according to universal rules, and the model can be tailored to different materials and environments,’ explained Gábor Domokos, professor at BME’s Department of Morphology and Geometric Modelling and head of the HUN-REN-BME Morphodynamics Research Group.
The study’s findings present a novel resource for planetary research. According to Domokos, analyzing crack patterns could greatly assist in examining the surfaces of celestial bodies where satellite imagery is available. This could lead to identifying locations where water likely influenced surface morphology, potentially creating conditions conducive to life.
Krisztina Regős, another Hungarian author of the study, emphasized that the next step involves automating these analytical methods. Developing artificial intelligence-driven image analysis systems could enable more accurate and efficient identification of crack networks in space imagery, further enhancing the search for water and habitable environments beyond Earth.
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