**Figure 5.**

*Cross-section profiles.*

each transverse profile, both the upper width "*U*w" (in km) and the base width "*B*w" (in km) of the gully, as well as its depth "*D*" (in km). Subsequently, the mean values of the three mentioned variables were calculated, thanks to which, and by applying

*Prediction of the Transported Soil Volume by the Presence of Water in the Vicinity… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102985*

Eq. (1) in order to always be on the side of safety, it was possible to obtain the soil lost volume (*V*) in the study area. Logically, the channel, or gully, length "*L*" (in km) will be necessary.

$$V\left(\text{km}^3\right) = \left[\left(U\_{\text{w}} + B\_{\text{w}}\right) \cdot D\right] \cdot L\left(\text{km}\right) \tag{1}$$

In a later phase, the data from MOLA was downloaded (the soil lost volume was also determined by using of Topocal 2022-v9.0.811 software) and, after an exhaustive analysis, the contributing watershed area corresponding to the study area was determined. This was necessary to convert the soil lost volume to an equivalent per km<sup>2</sup> .

In another vein, a model capable of predicting the RCI through [17] was developed (Eq. 2) taking into account the similar behavior that liquid water has on the surface both on Earth and on Mars.

$$\text{RCI} = e^{\frac{1.5\delta + \log\left(\frac{Q\_g^{\prime}}{q^\*}\right) - 0.4\delta \cdot \log\left(H\right) \cdot \tan\left(S\right)}{2\delta\delta}}\tag{2}$$

where:

*Q*'<sup>s</sup> = relationship between the existing sediments mass (in g) and the contributing watershed area (in m<sup>2</sup> ) in Ma'adim Vallis.

*t*' = time required, in Martian years, to generate the sediment mass existing in the study area. It is necessary to specify that *t*' = 1.882 � *t*, where "*t*" is the Earth elapsed time in years.

*H* = it is the average elevation (in m), taking as 0 the lowest elevation of the longitudinal profile corresponding to the gully base.

*S* = it is the average slope of the contributing watershed (in °).

Finally, in order to adequately reference this work, an exhaustive bibliographic review was carried out.
