Remote Analysis of Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Rivers Unveils Lifespans and Strengths

MIT geologists have developed a new technique using satellite observations to estimate the rate at which rivers move fluid and sediment downstream on Mars and Titan. By applying this technique, they were able to calculate the intensity of past river flows on Mars and the current flow of rivers on Titan. The study revealed that rivers on Mars likely flowed for at least 100,000 years at Gale Crater and at least 1 million years at Jezero Crater, potentially supporting life. On Titan, the rivers were found to be comparable in size to some of Earth's largest rivers, but they lack the fan-shaped deltas typically found on Earth, suggesting that other factors are at play.