Late Mars Workshop 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2088) 5018.pdf THERMOKARST FEATURES IN LYOT CRATER, MARS: IMPLICATIONS FOR RECENT SURFACE WATER FREEZE-THAW, FLOW, AND CYCLING. N. Glines1,2 and V. Gulick1, 1The SETI Institute / NASA Ames (MS239-20, Moffett Field, CA 94035,
[email protected],
[email protected]), 2 UCSC. Introduction: We previously reported [7, 10] on ESP_055252_2310 were acquired in May, 2018. The the identification of potential thermokarst depressions terrain surrounding the beads is warped, similar to connected by channel systems on the floor of Lyot dissected mantle, while the bead floors are more Crater (Fig.1, mapped in Fig.2). At first glance, these smooth and flat, with less dissection. circular depressions on the floor of Lyot resemble curiously eroded terrain or secondary crater clusters. However, closer inspection reveals these depressions are flat-floored, circular-to-oblong features without raised rims or ejecta, connected by channels. We determined that these features are morphologically similar to terrestrial thermokarst basins and channels known as paleo-beaded streams. Here, we report a possible paleolake, associated landform assemblages, and the potential for hydrologic cycling. Figure 1: These flat-floored, round depressions connected by channels trend downslope (left to right) on the floor of Lyot Crater. HiRISE image ESP_052628_2310. Analog Beaded Streams. Beaded streams are Figure 2: Map of beaded channels (blue) N/NW of the central peak, gullies (red), potential inverted material and primarily found in circum-arctic tundra with ice deposit (pink), & lake level indicators (dashed green). saturated substrates. Beaded streams are thermokarst Craters are white circles.