Desert trench signatures for Mars caves

Subtle, long trenches on very dry, stable limestone plains can be collapsed cave openings rather than fluvial features. Mapping and geophysical characterization of these trench signatures on Earth (e.g., the Nullarbor Plain) creates a practical template to search for similar subsurface cave networks on Mars. — If true, this gives planetary scientists and mission planners a low‑cost, empirical method to prioritize Martian sites for astrobiology, resource access, and human sheltering by looking for trench morphologies as surface proxies for caves.