40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2009) 1522.pdf GROWTH AND DESTRUCTION CYCLES AND ERUPTION STYLES AT THARSIS THOLUS, MARS. T. Platz1, P. C. McGuire1,2, S. Münn3, B. Cailleau1, A. Dumke1, G. Neukum1, J. N. Procter4, 1Freie Universität Ber- lin, Institute of Geosciences, Planetary Sciences and Remote Sensing, Malteserstr. 74-100, 12249 Berlin, Germany,
[email protected], 2Washington University in St. Louis, McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Cam- pus Box 1169, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, 3 Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM- GEOMAR, Wischhofstr. 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany, 4Massey University, Volcanic Risk Solutions, Institute of Natural Resources, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Introduction: Tharsis Tholus is located in the mately 31.1×10³ km³, however, if a basal horizontal Tharsis region, approx. 800 km to the ENE of As- plane at 500 m is assumed, an edifice volume of craeus Mons. The edifice of Tharsis Tholus is unique >50×10³ km³ results. among Martian volcanoes as it is structurally divided Volcano-tectonic features: The edifice of Tharsis into sectors suggesting a complex volcano-tectonic Tholus shows the structures of at least four large de- evolution [1-3]. The objective of this study was 1) to formation events. The central and most prominent identify cycles of edifice growth and destruction and structure of the volcano is its central caldera. It is bor- causes of instability, 2) to estimate the mineralogical dered by a well-preserved system of concentric normal composition of rocks and loose deposits, 3) to provide faults. Peripheral ring faults generated individual a time frame of volcanic activity, and 4) to characterize blocks that moved downslope to varying degrees into eruptive styles at Tharsis Tholus.