* Astronomy

Mars in Catalonia

A study coordinated by UAB's Geology Departament on the origin and evolution of peculiar morphologies created by ancient subterranean springs in the central pre-Pyrenees of Catalonia, Spain, pose new questions for planetary geomorphology research. Similar to small volcanoes, these formations until now had only been described in Australia and closely resemble gigantic forms found on Mars. The study may shed new light on the origin of these formations and the search for water on the red planet.
In these past years a group of researchers from different universities and research centres, under the direction of Rogelio Linares, lecturer of the Department of Geology and researcher at UAB's Gabinet Geològic d'Anàlisi Territorial i Ambiental (GATA), carried out a geomorphological research in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees region. Part of the results of the study have been published in a special edition of the journal Geodinamica Acta. The publication, coordinated by some of the main specialists in Europe, corresponds to a selection of works presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna in 2009.
This multidisciplinary research focuses on the study of geological records originated by ancient karstic springs. It specifically studies forms dating back over 250,000 years - tufa mounds - which are practically unknown in Europe, having been until now only described in Australia. Located in the Tremp Basin in Lleida, the formations are similar to volcanoes created by subterranean water springs, under specific hydraulic and hydrochemical conditions and in a certain geomorphological context.

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