Polygonal systems formed by thermal contraction cracking are complex landscape features widespread in terrestrial periglacial regions. The manner in which cracking occurs is controlled by various environmental factors and determines dimension, shape, and orientation of polygons. We studied the geomorphometry of polygonally-patterned ground on Svalbard to draw a terrestrial analogy to small-scale polygonal structures on Mars. We performed a comparative quantitative terrain analysis based on high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data (i.e., HRSC-AX, HiRISE) in combination with terrestrial field data and multivariate statistics to determine the relationship of polygon geomorphometry to local environmental conditions. Results show that polygonal structures on Svalbard and in Utopia Planitia, Mars, are similar with respect to their size and shape. A comparable thermal contraction cracking genesis is likely. Polygon evolution, however, is strongly related to regional and local landscape dynamics. Individual polygon dimensions and orthogonality vary according to age, thermal contraction cracking activity, and local subsurface conditions.
This dataset contains polygonal network data from 8 sites on Svalbard in shapefile format:
Act-IWS = Active Ice-Wedge site Adventdalen (AD1)
AD2 to AD4 = Adventdalen sites 2 to 4
IWS = Ice-wedge site Adventdalen
CALM = Circumarctic Active-Layer Monitoring polygon site Adventdalen
HCP = High Center Polygons site Adventdalen
Isdammen = location Isdammen site Adventdalen
Detailed information about methods and results can be found in the publication to which this dataset is a supplement (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.07.002).
