Contemporary Martian Geomorphic Processes and the Suitability Characterization of Terrestrial Analogues

Both historical and contemporary evidence for geomorphic activity on the surface of Mars is apparent. This evidence is showcased by features including a) well-preserved deltaic remnants in an otherwise cold and arid environment, present along the western flank of Jezero Crater, and b) the seasonal appearance of candidate recurring slope lineae throughout Martian equatorial, lower, and mid-latitudes as seen within both the Eos Chasma region and on the walls of Raga, Lohse, Rauna, and Tivat Craters. In this dissertation, I elucidate the role that geomorphic processes, whether aqueous or dry, have played in shaping both the ancient and contemporary Martian surface. Through a combination of high-resolution orbital imagery interpretation, geospatial analyses, and terrestrial analogue studies, I show that aqueously-driven geomorphic processes have functioned as an agent of change on the Martian surface in the past and may continue to function as an agent of change into the present-day.