doi:10.5194/tc-8-2047-2014 © Author(s) 2014. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Glacier-like forms on Mars

Abstract. More than 1300 glacier-like forms (GLFs) are lo-cated in Mars ’ mid-latitudes. These GLFs are predominantly composed of ice–dust mixtures and are visually similar to terrestrial valley glaciers, showing signs of downhill viscous deformation and an expanded former extent. However, sev-eral fundamental aspects of their behavior are virtually un-known, including temporal and spatial variations in mass balance, ice motion, landscape erosion and deposition, and hydrology. Here, we investigate the physical glaciology of martian GLFs. We use satellite images of specific exam-ples and case studies to build on existing knowledge relat-ing to (i) GLF current and former extent, exemplified via a GLF located in Phlegra Montes; (ii) indicators of GLF mo-tion, focusing on the presence of surface crevasses on sev-eral GLFs; (iii) processes of GLF debris transfer, focusin