DOCSLIB.ORG

The Mars Frontier

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Mars Frontier THE MARS FRONTIER Vol. 17 Fires of Conflict Copyright © 2009 Robert H. Stockman All rights reserved Contents 1. Flames 2 2. Demands 17 3. The Yellow Sea 30 4. Nuke 49 5. Gateway 57 6. Blackout 73 7. Confrontations 91 8. Proposals 112 9. Decisions 127 10. Thanksgiving 143 11. Sadness and Hope 163 12. Joy and Promise 180 13. Razor 200 14. Aram 217 15. Prophets and Presidents 237 16. Launch Window 257 17. Vignettes 272-87 1 1. Flames Late Sept. 2068 In the last few weeks, Will Elliott had spent many mornings reviewing inventory. Economic problems on Earth had complicated some of Mars’s orders for computers, spare machine parts, rocket engines, fuel cells, compact motors, and other high-quality goods they could not yet manufacture on Dusty Red. Powerful software monitored demand and projected when supplies would run out; maintaining three-year supplies of strategic items was proving difficult as Mars expanded and demand grew. “Anisa,” he said aloud to his automated personal assistant. “Have memos prepared to all departments of the Commonwealth reminding them that ‘policy requires them to maintain strategic inventory at the thirty-six month level and ordinary imported inventory at the twenty-four month level. The deepening economic and political crisis on Earth makes it essential that the policy be strictly adhered to at this time. The prime solar sailing window opens in January 2069 and lasts through June, so supplies must be ordered in the next two or three months to guarantee their arrival at Gateway in time for the flight season.’ “Anisa, also copy the note to Marcraft, AgMar, MarBuild, MarFab, Margen, Marcomm, Martech, Mariner Hospital, and all borough governments. Add a sentence to them that we strongly urge them to do the same to guarantee availability of needed supplies and that we will follow up to ascertain whether they are doing so. Stick a reminder in the tickle file that we will need a follow-up memo prepared in one month’s 2 time: Monsol, August 20, 2068. Run the memos past Huma for review; she will confer with me and append my electronic signature.” A screen on Will’s desk awoke with the image of an older red-headed woman; he changed Anisa’s image every few months. “Acknowledged,” she replied with a smile. “Shall I also copy Jacaranda, so she can consider a press release to Mars This Sol and other media outlets? That would alert other agencies and businesses.” Will considered. “Negative, but add the Mars Chamber of Commerce and the Asteroid and Saturn Commissions to the distribution list.” “Done.” Then the screen went blank again. That got him thinking about how difficult it had become to move Mars in a certain direction. Gone were the sols when the Commander could issue a memorandum to all staff. The planet now had 7,000 people, a growing private sector, and a series of semipublic companies: Marcraft, their space vehicle manufacturing firm; AgMar, their primary agricultural outfit; MarBuild, their principal construction company; MarFab, their largest supplier of metal parts, plastic items, chemicals, and a miscellany of other materials; Margen, their energy distribution utility; Marcomm, their telecommunications company; Martech, their university; Mariner Hospital, their health system. Residents lived in twelve boroughs, settlements with elected local governments; the Marsian flag had a circle of twelve green stars to represent them. Keeping Mars supplied involved a fleet of automated solar sailers that used sunlight to push them and their twenty tonnes of cargo between the planets in six to eighteen months; one hundred fifty of them moved 2,000 tonnes to Mars every year and hauled back a similar mass of gold, platinum group 3 metals, uranium, plutonium, Phobosian agricultural goods, argon, ammonia, and water. It was a complex system. He contemplated the accomplishment of the last three decades when his attaché beeped to notify him of an incoming video call. He activated it and saw the face of Jacaranda Nuri, his nephew’s wife and his press secretary. “Will, turn on the BBC. President Knight just made a speech at the White House to welcome the visiting President of Taiwan where he referred to a ‘nation deserving of full sovereignty and independence’ which should ‘take its proper place in the community of nations.’” Will shook his head. “That goes beyond his usual weekly foot-in-mouth.” “That’s for sure! The BBC commentator is saying that this must be an intentional, calculated move, but it’s not clear whether it feeds his election campaign or is an intentional swipe at China.” “It’s hard to see an advantage either way. All these criticisms of the rest of the world produce derision rather than respect for America. And China will criticize right back. They’re threatening an export slowdown.” “Well, the Christmas inventory is already on boats or U.S. docks; they can’t do any short-term harm right now. It is strange, I agree.” Will considered. “We’ll have to get Pete’s input about this incident; he’s in Washington right now. I think the explanation lies in the ‘America-First’ culture, and one can’t understand it without understanding the media bubble it operates in. There are tens of millions of Americans who ignore other sources of news and trust a small group of outlets, all of which convey the same basic message. Go watch how they cover this incident.” 4 “Ugh. You’re right, there’s an ‘America-First’ media zone and millions live their lives based on its message. Their private schools and churches reinforce it, too.” “And their strange interpretations of the Bible. We live in a ‘Mars First’ culture, but at least we’re broadly exposed to Earth in all its diversity. Give me a summary of media responses, Jacquie, and be sure to include the America-firsters. We need to make more effort to understand them.” “Okay. It’ll probably be six or eight hours; I’ll get a couple of interns in our New York and Paris offices to work on it. Bye.” “No, try to find some in the Houston office. Bye.” Will closed the circuit and turned back to his work. It was the next morning, rather than six or eight hours, when a media analysis was ready. It showed that the President’s base was solidly behind him and thought the speech was excellent; that a large fraction of American voters agreed with his support for Taiwan and his criticism of China; and that most overseas populations and governments were appalled. “I think we have to be extremely careful making alliances and agreements with the United States,” concluded Foreign Minister Theodoulos, in a video report from Bermuda, where he had set up Mars’s main terrestrial office. “The White House appears inclined to pressure others whenever they can gain an advantage. The U.S. had already said it wants to end joint space missions. I’d worry about energy dependence on them.” Will turned away from the videomail. “Huma, we need to reassess our ability to store emergency power.” “Do you think the Americans would cut off our access to nuclear power?” asked Huma, surprised. “Brian would never do that.” 5 “Brian’s not the President of the United States. When we relied on solar panels we stored methane and oxygen sufficient to generate four months of full power; that could keep us going at half power during a nine-month global dust storm. But with access to New Hanford’s nuke, and demand has gone through the roof. Now we can store a one- month backup supply, which is dangerously low for all sorts of reasons.” “But we can’t store more. Aurorae’s power demand is peaking at forty megawatts; New Hanford only generates fifty.” “But our per-sol demand averages closer to twenty-five thousand, so half of New Hanford’s capacity is available if we could purchase and store it. Contact our Ministers for Commerce, Development, and Transportation. I want Henry, Emily, and Moses to meet with me this afternoon or tomorrow. Add Louise Tremblay, because the spaceport has a lot of resources that the others may not be fully aware of. I want a meeting to talk about steps we could take to protect ourselves from a cut-off by the United States.” “Then you might want Indira as well, since the Attorney General’s Office controls public safety.” “You’re right, add Indira.” “What about the President of Margen?” “Margen generates a little solar and wind power, but they’re basically a distributor. Invite her, but I doubt she can add much.” “Okay. Anything else?” Will shook his head. “I’ll send Pete a thank you email; if I say anything other than thank you I’ll copy you. I’ve got an hour for communications before my 10:30 appointment with Moses.” 6 “Except you have to read the report; budget at least twenty minutes for it.” “Alright. Thank you, Huma.” “Thank you, Chief Minister Will,” she replied, and she hurried out of the office. Will turned to the report first, a summary of the upgrading of Mars’s road system. The Circumnavigational Trail’s section through Noctis Labyrinthus had been closed for almost a year since a robotic truck, negotiating a hair-pin turn on a switchback, had strayed slightly from the narrow road and had slid a thousand meters down the slope, smashing into a thousand pieces. The time had come to upgrade Noctis extensively, but it would tie up two dozen workers two years and cost one hundred million redbacks; field work required a lot of equipment and support and was not cheap.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Thermal Studies of Martian Channels and Valleys Using Termoskan Data
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 99, NO. El, PAGES 1983-1996, JANUARY 25, 1994 Thermal studiesof Martian channelsand valleys using Termoskan data BruceH. Betts andBruce C. Murray Divisionof Geologicaland PlanetarySciences, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena The Tennoskaninstrument on boardthe Phobos '88 spacecraftacquired the highestspatial resolution thermal infraredemission data ever obtained for Mars. Included in thethermal images are 2 km/pixel,midday observations of severalmajor channel and valley systems including significant portions of Shalbatana,Ravi, A1-Qahira,and Ma'adimValles, the channelconnecting Vailes Marineris with HydraotesChaos, and channelmaterial in Eos Chasma.Tennoskan also observed small portions of thesouthern beginnings of Simud,Tiu, andAres Vailes and somechannel material in GangisChasma. Simultaneousbroadband visible reflectance data were obtainedfor all but Ma'adimVallis. We find thatmost of the channelsand valleys have higher thermal inertias than their surroundings,consistent with previousthermal studies. We show for the first time that the thermal inertia boundariesclosely match flat channelfloor boundaries.Also, butteswithin channelshave inertiassimilar to the plainssurrounding the channels,suggesting the buttesare remnants of a contiguousplains surface. Lower bounds ontypical channel thermal inertias range from 8.4 to 12.5(10 -3 cal cm-2 s-1/2 K-I) (352to 523 in SI unitsof J m-2 s-l/2K-l). Lowerbounds on inertia differences with the surrounding heavily cratered plains range from 1.1 to 3.5 (46 to 147 sr). Atmosphericand geometriceffects are not sufficientto causethe observedchannel inertia enhancements.We favornonaeolian explanations of the overall channel inertia enhancements based primarily upon the channelfloors' thermal homogeneity and the strongcorrelation of thermalboundaries with floor boundaries. However,localized, dark regions within some channels are likely aeolian in natureas reported previously.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence for Volcanism in and Near the Chaotic Terrains East of Valles Marineris, Mars
    43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2012) 1057.pdf EVIDENCE FOR VOLCANISM IN AND NEAR THE CHAOTIC TERRAINS EAST OF VALLES MARINERIS, MARS. Tanya N. Harrison, Malin Space Science Systems ([email protected]; P.O. Box 910148, San Diego, CA 92191). Introduction: Martian chaotic terrain was first de- ple chaotic regions are visible in CTX images (Figs. scribed by [1] from Mariner 6 and 7 data as a “rough, 1,2). These fractures have widened since the formation irregular complex of short ridges, knobs, and irregular- of the flows. The flows overtop and/or bank up upon ly shaped troughs and depressions,” attributing this pre-existing topography such as crater ejecta blankets morphology to subsidence and suggesting volcanism (Fig. 2c). Flows are also observed originating from as a possible cause. McCauley et al. [2], who were the fractures within some craters in the vicinity of the cha- first to note the presence of large outflow channels that os regions. Potential lava flows are observed on a por- appeared to originate from the chaotic terrains in Mar- tion of the floor as Hydaspis Chaos, possibly associat- iner 9 data, proposed localized geothermal melting ed with fissures on the chaos floor. As in Hydraotes, followed by catastrophic release as the formation these flows bank up against blocks on the chaos floor, mechanism of chaotic terrain. Variants of this model implying that if the flows are volcanic in origin, the have subsequently been detailed by a number of au- volcanism occurred after the formation of Hydaspis thors [e.g. 3,4,5]. Meresse et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Mars Frontier
    THE MARS FRONTIER Vol. 10 Challenges of Diversity Copyright © 2009 Robert H. Stockman All rights reserved Contents 1. The Arrivals 2 2. Welcomes 19 3. Asteroid Belt Commission 35 4. Challenges 47 5. Departures 70 6. Selection 92 7. New Years 113 8. Emergency 137 9. Investigation 167 10. Findings 179 11. Devolution 194 12. Kasei 227 13. Departures 240 1 1. Arrivals February-April 2055 The shuttle Simud fell rapidly towards the surface of Mars, its large, rounded bottom still glowing ruddy from the heat of atmospheric entry. Among the passengers packed like sardines in the cabin was Dr. Forest Rivers, age 40. He was dressed in a pressure suit without a helmet; his slightly balding head had a short blond ponytail. He watched the screen closely as it showed the easternmost canyon of the Valles Marineris system rolling by them, the northern escarpment sharp and clear just fifteen kilometers below. “Parachute deployment in three seconds,” announced the pilot. “Here we go.” They could hear the mortar go off, blowing the drogue chute upward into the shuttle’s supersonic slipstream, then the cord tightened and the shuttle jerked as the chute inflated. Gravity increased noticeably. Some passengers were startled, but Rivers remained unperturbed. Then a few seconds later there was a series of three pops as mortars fired out the main chutes, followed by a wrenching jolt as they inflated against the thin Martian air screaming past the shuttle at nearly two thousand kilometers per hour. That startled, if not frightened, some of the passengers; simulations never fully captured the reality of landing on Mars.
    [Show full text]
  • The 1997 Mars Pathfinder Spacecraft Landing Site: Spillover Deposits
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN The 1997 Mars Pathfnder Spacecraft Landing Site: Spillover Deposits from an Early Mars Inland Sea Received: 13 June 2018 J. A. P. Rodriguez1, V. R. Baker2, T. Liu 2, M. Zarroca3, B. Travis1, T. Hui2, G. Komatsu 4, Accepted: 22 January 2019 D. C. Berman1, R. Linares3, M. V. Sykes1, M. E. Banks1,5 & J. S. Kargel1 Published: xx xx xxxx The Martian outfow channels comprise some of the largest known channels in the Solar System. Remote-sensing investigations indicate that cataclysmic foods likely excavated the channels ~3.4 Ga. Previous studies show that, in the southern circum-Chryse region, their fooding pathways include hundreds of kilometers of channel foors with upward gradients. However, the impact of the reversed channel-foor topography on the cataclysmic foods remains uncertain. Here, we show that these channel foors occur within a vast basin, which separates the downstream reaches of numerous outfow channels from the northern plains. Consequently, foods propagating through these channels must have ponded, producing an inland sea, before reaching the northern plains as enormous spillover discharges. The resulting paleohydrological reconstruction reinterprets the 1997 Pathfnder landing site as part of a marine spillway, which connected the inland sea to a hypothesized northern plains ocean. Our food simulation shows that the presence of the sea would have permitted the propagation of low-depth foods beyond the areas of reversed channel-foor topography. These results explain the formation at the landing site of possible fuvial features indicative of fow depths at least an order of magnitude lower than those apparent from the analyses of orbital remote-sensing observations.
    [Show full text]
  • Geomorphic Investigations of Martian Chaos Terrain
    Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) 1121.pdf MAKING SENSE OF CHAOS: GEOMORPHIC INVESTIGATIONS OF MARTIAN CHAOS TERRAIN. J.H. Gearon1, J.S. Levy1, and T.A. Goudge2, 1University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, Austin, TX, 78758. [email protected], [email protected], 2Jackson School of Geosciences, Austin, TX. Introduction. Chaos terrain (or simply, chaos) is [5-8], with gap-filling topography provided by MOLA a widely-studied, but still poorly understood global ge- gridded data [9]. Outlines of coherent mesa features as omorphic unit on Mars. Chaos terrain is characterized well as outlines of eroded massifs features were mapped by the presence of polygonally-shaped mesas and mas- (Fig. 1) and morphometric and topographic geostatistics sifs, separated by deep canyons that form a polygonal were extracted from these polygons. Measurements in- “jigsaw pattern” [1]. Chaos terrain is globally distrib- cluded: cell area, cell distance from centroid, mean mesa uted, but is concentrated in the Tharsis/Valles Marineris slope, and “missing volume” (the difference in volume region of Mars [2]. Chaos is spatially associated with between a 3D surface fitted to chaos mesa and massif outflow channels and is widely held to be related to out- cell tops and the measured topography) (Fig. 2). flow channel formation mechanisms (e.g., fracture of Calculations were also made of chaos fractured unit vol- the surface and release of groundwater) [2-4]. ume by fitting a lower surface to the chaos inter-mesa Accordingly, three major hypotheses for the for- trough network, and differencing the upper surface (in- mation of chaos terrain exist: 1) subsidence/collapse as- terpolated between mesa high points) from the lower sociated with breaching of the martian cryosphere and surface.
    [Show full text]
  • Xanthe Terra: Plains Top Level Geologic Units
    Erosional processes, ages and stratigraphic sequence in the Hydraotes Chaos Region, Mars: Observations of the HRSC Camera aboard Mars Express R. Wagner2, 1 B. Schreiner , 1Institute of Geosciences, Freie Universitaet, Berlin, Germany 1 S. van Gasselt , 2Institute of Planetary Research, DLR Berlin, Germany G. Neukum1, and the HRSC Co-I Team Acknowledgements: U. Wolf2 for crater counting Regional setting: topography and geology Regional setting: topography and geology HRSC coverage (up to orbit 1394) Regional setting: topography and geology Procedure ♦ Identify and map geologic / morphologic units ♦ Determine heights of morphologic units ♦ Crater counts on geologic / morphologic units: --> derive stratigraphic sequence ♦ Application of the cratering chronology model by Hartmann and Neukum (2001) --> absolute time scales; duration of processes Geologic units Hydraotes Chaos: Mesas / Medium level Xanthe Terra: plains Top level Geologic units Hydraotes Chaos: Hydraotes Chaos: Mesas & valley floor / Bright floor Lowest level Geologic units Hydraotes Chaos: Dark floor Determination of heights Hydraotes Chaos: Perspective view Determination of heights Heights of distinct mesas: Parallax measurements between HRSC nadir and stereo channel ÆAllows to find height values for small features below the spatial resolution Absolute calibration of parallaxes with MOLA DTM Height range: -5100 m (floor) to 2500 m (red color) Cratering chronology Stratigraphy and ages Xanthe Terra / Hydraotes Chaos: Top level Xanthe Terra: ~3.9 Gyr Erosional episode #1: ~1.6
    [Show full text]
  • Timing of Smooth-Topped Chaotic Terrains, Southern Circum-Chryse, Mars
    51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2020) 1131.pdf Timing of Smooth-Topped Chaotic Terrains, Southern Circum-Chryse, Mars. J. Walmsley1 <[email protected]>, F. Fueten1 <ffueten@ brocku.ca>, R. Stesky2, A. P. Rossi3, 1Dept. of Earth Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1, 2Pangaea Scientific, Brockville, Ontario, Canada K6V 5T5, 3Dept. of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany. Introduction: Primary chaotic terrains are the larg- during collapse when compared with their surrounding est type of chaotic terrain on Mars, covering the largest near horizontal plateaus. Total volume loss calculated area and deepest collapse, producing catastrophic for each site are: Hydraotes Chaos (179,000 km3), floods which erode large outwash channels [1]. Sec- Hydraspis FFC (10,900 km3), Candor Chaos (<2,000 ondary chaotic terrains are much smaller than primary km3), Baetis Chaos (3,200 km3), and the East Chaos chaos and are confined to the floors and walls of pre- (400 km3). Estimated depth of collapse for each chaot- existing outflow channels [2]. They usually do not ic terrain was also calculated: Hydraotes Chaos (2.1 generate catastrophic floods during their formation [2], km), Hydraspis FFC (1.45 km), Candor Chaos (< 0.2 though examples of flooding do exist [3]. Fractured- km), Baetis Chaos (no collapse), and the East Chaos Floor Craters (FFCs) are a subset of primary chaotic (no collapse). Relative timing of chaos forming events terrains which are completely contained within a pre- was determined using data from previous studies, as existing crater and can produce catastrophic flooding well as from cross-cutting relationships.
    [Show full text]
  • Identifying Evidence for Explosive Volcanism on Mars Through Geomorphologic and Thermophysical Observations
    IDENTIFYING EVIDENCE FOR EXPLOSIVE VOLCANISM ON MARS THROUGH GEOMORPHOLOGIC AND THERMOPHYSICAL OBSERVATIONS by Gabriel Cecilio Garcia A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geosciences Boise State University May 2018 © 2018 Gabriel Cecilio Garcia ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE DEFENSE COMMITTEE AND FINAL READING APPROVALS of the thesis submitted by Gabriel Cecilio Garcia Thesis Title: Identifying Evidence for Explosive Volcanism on Mars through Geomorphologic and Thermophysical Observations Date of Final Oral Examination: 24 January 2018 The following individuals read and discussed the thesis submitted by student Gabriel Cecilio Garcia, and they evaluated his presentation and response to questions during the final oral examination. They found that the student passed the final oral examination. Brittany D. Brand, Ph.D. Chair, Supervisory Committee Joshua L. Bandfield, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee Jennifer L. Pierce, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee The final reading approval of the thesis was granted by Brittany D. Brand, Ph.D., Chair of the Supervisory Committee. The thesis was approved by the Graduate College. DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my parents. Their love and support has provided me the opportunity to strive for greatness and live a life that I can truly be proud of. No matter where I go, I will always live by your example. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisors, Brittany Brand and Joshua Bandfield, for all they have helped me with. I would not be the scientist I am now without their guidance and teachings. I would also like to thank the Idaho Space Grant Consortium for funding this research.
    [Show full text]
  • Constraints on the Origin and Evolution of Iani Chaos, Mars Nicholas H
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 116, E06003, doi:10.1029/2010JE003787, 2011 Constraints on the origin and evolution of Iani Chaos, Mars Nicholas H. Warner,1 Sanjeev Gupta,1 Jung‐Rack Kim,2,3 Jan‐Peter Muller,4 Lucille Le Corre,4 Jeremy Morley,5 Shih‐Yuan Lin,6 and Chris McGonigle1 Received 7 December 2010; revised 4 March 2011; accepted 18 March 2011; published 15 June 2011. [1] The origin mechanisms and geologic evolution of chaotic terrain on Mars are poorly constrained. Iani Chaos, located at the head Ares Vallis, is among the most geomorphologically complex of the chaotic terrains. Its morphology is defined by (1) multiple, 1 to 2 km deep basins, (2) flat‐topped, fractured plateaus that are remnants of highland terrain, (3) knobby, fractured remnants of highland terrain, (4) plateaus with a knobby surface morphology, (5) interchaos grooved terrain, (6) interior layered deposits (ILDs), and (7) mantling material. Topography, the observed geomorphology, and measured fracture patterns suggest that the interchaos basins formed as a result of subsurface volume loss and collapse of the crust, likely owing to effusion of groundwater to the surface. Regional patterns in fracture orientation indicate that the basins developed along linear zones of preexisting weakness in the highland crust. Multiple overlapping basins and fracture systems point to multiple stages of collapse at Iani Chaos. Furthermore, the total estimated volume loss from the basins (104 km3) is insufficient to explain erosion of 104–105 km3 of material from Ares Vallis by a single flood. Comparisons with the chronology of Ares Vallis indicate multiple water effusion events from Iani Chaos that span the Hesperian, with termination of activity in the early Amazonian.
    [Show full text]
  • Submitted for Publication in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
    Submitted for publication in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 1 Tectono-magmatic, sedimentary and hydrothermal history of Arsinoes and 2 Pyrrhae Chaos, Mars 3 Erica Luzzi1, Angelo Pio Rossi1, Cristian Carli2 and Francesca Altieri2 4 5 1Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany 6 2Inaf-IAPS Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy 7 Corresponding author: Erica Luzzi ([email protected]) 8 Key points 9 10 • We produced a geomorphic map of Arsinoes and Pyrrhae Chaos, including the 11 graben/fissures occurring throughout the study area; 12 • Spectral analyses of the light-toned deposits provide clues for sedimentary and 13 hydrothermal minerals; spectral analyses of the bedrock are indicative of basaltic 14 compositions; 15 • The observed volcano-tectonic surface features suggest a piecemeal caldera collapse as a 16 possible mechanism of formation for the chaotic terrains. 17 18 Abstract 19 Arsinoes and Pyrrhae Chaos are two adjacent chaotic terrains located east to Valles Marineris 20 and west to Arabia Terra, on Mars. In this work we produced a morpho-stratigraphic map of 21 the area, characterized by a volcanic bedrock disrupted into polygonal mesas and knobs 22 (Chaotic Terrain Unit) and two non-disrupted units interpreted as sedimentary and presenting 23 a spectral variation, likely associated to hydrated minerals. The reconstructed geological 24 history of the area starts with the collapse that caused the formation of the chaotic terrains. 25 Since volcano-tectonic evidences are widespread all-over the area (e.g. fissure vents/graben, 26 radial and concentric systems of faults, y-shaped conjunctions, lava flows, pit chains), and an 27 intricate system of lava conduits is hypothesized for the occurrence of such features, we 28 propose the possibility that the whole collapse was caused primarily by volcano-tectonic 29 processes.
    [Show full text]
  • Prospected Lava Tubes at Hellas Planitia
    ACCEPTED BY THE JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 13 OCT 2019 FOR PUB: FALL 2019 1 PROSPECTIVE LAVA TUBES AT HELLAS PLANITIA LEVERAGING VOLCANIC FEATURES ON MARS TO PROVIDE CREWED MISSIONS PROTECTION FROM RADIATION ANTONIO J. PARIS, EVAN T. DAVIES, LAURENCE TOGNETTI, & CARLY ZAHNISER CENTER FOR PLANETARY SCIENCE ABSTRACT Mars is currently at the center of intense scientific study aimed at potential human colonization. Consequently, there has been increased curiosity in the identification and study of lava tubes for information on the paleohydrological, geomorphological, geological, and potential biological history of Mars, including the prospect of present microbial life on the planet. Lava tubes, furthermore, could serve as in–situ habitats for upcoming crewed missions to Mars by providing protection from solar energetic particles, unpredictable high-energy cosmic radiation (i.e., gamma-ray bursts), bombardment of micrometeorites, exposure to dangerous perchlorates due to long-term dust storms, and extreme temperature fluctuations. The purpose of this investigation is to identify and study prospective lava tubes at Hellas Planitia, a plain located inside the large impact basin Hellas in the southern hemisphere of Mars, through the use of Earth analogue structures. The search for lava tubes at Hellas Planitia is primarily due to the low radiation environment at this particular location. Several studies by NASA spacecraft have measured radiation levels in this region at ~342 µSv/day, which is considerably less than other regions on the surface of Mars (~547 µSv/day). Notwithstanding, a radiation exposure of ~342 µSv/day is still sizably higher than what human beings in developed nations are annually exposed to on Earth.
    [Show full text]
  • 5. Shape of Scoria Cones on Mars: Insights from Numerical Modeling of Ballistic Pathways
    5. Shape of scoria cones on Mars: insights from numerical modeling of ballistic pathways Petr Brož1,2, Ondřej Čadek3, Ernst Hauber4 and Angelo Pio Rossi5 1Institute of Geophysics ASCR, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic 2Institute of Petrology and Structural Geology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic 3 Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic 4Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Berlin, Germany 5Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany Status: Published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters 406, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2014.09.002. 5.0. Abstract Morphological observations of scoria cones on Mars show that their cross-sectional shapes are different from those on Earth. Due to lower gravity and atmospheric pressure on Mars, particles are spread over a larger area than on Earth. Hence, erupted volumes are typically not large enough for the flank slopes to attain the angle of repose, in contrast to Earth where this is common. The distribution of ejected material forming scoria cones on Mars, therefore, is ruled mainly by ballistic distribution and not by redistribution of flank material by avalanching after the static angle of repose is reached. As a consequence, the flank slopes of the Martian scoria cones do not reach the critical angle of repose in spite of a large volume of ejected material. Therefore, the topography of scoria cones on Mars is governed mainly by ballistic distribution of ejected particles and is not influenced by redistribution of flank material by avalanching. The growth of a scoria cone can be studied numerically by tracking the ballistic trajectories and tracing the cumulative deposition of repeatedly ejected particles.
    [Show full text]