DOCSLIB.ORG

Landscape Evolution Comparison Between Valles Marineris, Mars and the Rio Chama Canyon, New Mexico, Usa

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Landscape Evolution Comparison Between Valles Marineris, Mars and the Rio Chama Canyon, New Mexico, Usa 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2132) 2811.pdf LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION COMPARISON BETWEEN VALLES MARINERIS, MARS AND THE RIO CHAMA CANYON, NEW MEXICO, USA. J. M. Chesnutt1, K. W. Wegmann1, E. D. Szymanski2, P. K. Byrne1, and C. L. Kling1 1North Carolina State University, Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States, 2University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, United States Introduction and Background: Here we report on Rio Chama Canyon: The canyon of the Rio Chama initial findings of an Earth–Mars landscape evolution in north-central New Mexico is inset into the eastern- analog study of the Valles Marineris, Mars and Rio most portion of the Colorado Plateau as the river de- Chama Canyon, New Mexico. scends ~350 m off the plateau rim into the Rio Grande Rift. The Rio Chama has incised into the surrounding This research focuses on the escarpment–flank mass mesas. The dynamic landscape of the Rio Chama Can- wasting features and valley formation of both land- yon is an ideal area to study linkages between river in- forms. Notably, the northern wall of Valles Marineris cision, mass wasting and landscape evolution at the has retreated to approximately twice the extent as the physiographic transition from the Colorado Plateau to southern wall (Figure 1), and the southern wall of the the Rio Grande Rift. Similar linkages may have influ- Rio Chama canyon has eroded about three times the ex- enced the landscape evolution of Valles Marineris. tent of the northern wall (Figure 2). We explore the cause(s) of this differential erosion/formation. Methodology: Detailed field analysis and mapping of the Rio Chama Canyon was conducted in the summer of Valles Marineris: Valles Marineris is a 4,000 km- 2018 as part of a USGS-funded EdMap grant. Eight ter- long, 200 km-wide, and 11 km-deep trough that cuts race sites were sampled for radiocarbon and three sites along the Martian equator. There is no consensus on were sampled for optically stimulated luminescence how Valles Marineris originated. The dominant theories (OSL) geochronology to provide age controls on the late include trough formation through extensional tec- Quaternary incision history of the Rio Chama. Addi- tonism/geodynamic processes [1], progressive collapse tionally, four landslide and two slump block sites were into subsurface voids [2], vertical subsidence [3], vol- sampled for radiocarbon. By determining the age of canic rifting [4], or combinations of the above processes these terraces, landslides and slump blocks, we can chart the paleochannel of the Rio Chama and expose any [5]. Valles Marineris likely formed during the late Noa- spatial-temporal correlation to mass wasting phenom- chian to early Hesperian period (~3.5 Gyr ago) and con- ena in the canyon. The analytical methodology for the tinued to evolve significantly through the Amazonian Valles Marineris comparison utilizes available Mars im- (1.8 Gyr ago) [6]. agery and GIS techniques, primary via ArcMap™ and JMARS [10]. Figure 1. Valles Marineris MOLA Blended DEM Hillshade [7] . When measured against the medial axis of Valles Mari- neris, the northern valley wall is more than twice the distance from that axis as the southern wall. Both walls contain nu- merous landslides [8]and the possible discovery mud volcanoes [9] hints that hydrologic process may have played an out- sized role in some aspect of Valles Marineris landscape evolution. 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2132) 2811.pdf Preliminary Results, Analysis, and Discussion: Our The north central wall of Valles Marineris contains the field mapping and analysis supported our hypothesis 800 km-long Candor Chasma and the 300 km-long that extensive tributary incision into the mesas compris- Ophir Chasma, whereas the south-central wall contains ing the southern walls of the Rio Chama Canyon is the only the Melas Chasma (350 km long). The northern likely mechanism driving wall retreat. Additionally, we chasmata also lie closer (200 km) to Echus Chasma, found a regional ~10º southern dip which may contrib- the largest outflow channel on Mars, and thus it may ute to the extensive erosion of the southern valley wall. be that the proximity to an expansive ground water River terraces of the main Rio Chama are also numer- source could have aided in the discordant erosion and ous, although initial results indicate that the path of the evolution between the north and south walls of this Rio Chama has not changed significantly through time system. The density of landslides, which is roughly since the late Pleistocene (c. 20 ka). A Rio Chama river equal on both the northern and southern flanks, alone terrace approximately ~200 m horizontally and ~20 m does not seem to explain why Valles Marineris (strath unconformity elevation) vertically from the cur- evolved discordantly. However, the volume of land- rent base level yielded a radiocarbon date of 19,996 ± 96 14C ypb. slides in the northern chasmata tend to be larger in size. Alternate explanations have been offered as to the plethora of landslides in Valles Marineris, namely impact-triggered slope failures [13], [14], [15] as well as a combination of weak material properties combined with high slope angles [16]. The role of water in molding the Rio Chama canyon is apparent, but the role hydrologic forces in the sculpting of Valles Marineris is contested [17], [18], [19]. If our GIS and imagery analysis of Valles Marineris uncovers any parallel hydrologically-driven geomorphological features similar to those we have documented in Rio Chama canyon, we may be able to discern causes of the discordant erosional patterns observed on either side of the medial valley axes at both study sites. Figure 2. Lidar-derived hillshade of Rio Chama Canyon, New References: [1] Andrews-Hanna, J. C. (2012), JGR Mexico. When measured against the medial axis of the Can- Planets, 117, 6002. [2] Fueten, F. et al. (2017) JGR yon, the southern valley wall is more than three times the dis- Planets, 122, 11, 2223-2249. [3] McKenzie, D., and tance from the axis as the northern wall. As with Valles Mar- Nimmo F. (1999) Nature, 397, 231–233. [4] Mège, D. ineris, the area features numerous landslides. et al. (2003) JGR, 108, E5, 5044. [5] Lucchitta, B.K. et al. (1994), JGR Planets, 99, 3783-3798. [6] Anderson, Large-scale landslide activity on the walls of the Rio R.C. et al. (2001), JGR, 106, 20563-20585. [7] Fer- Chama Canyon represents the hillslope response to on- gason, R.L. et al. (2018) Astrogeology PDS Annex, going river incision and valley expansion. As accom- USGS. [8] Crosta, G.B. et al. (2018) ESS, 5, no. 4, 89- modation space is created by an upstream-propagating 119. [9] Kumar, P.S. et al. (2019) EPSL, 505, 51-64. wave of river incision, the adjacent and coupled [10] Christensen, P.R. et al. (2009) JMARS. [11] hillslope geomorphic system responds in kind via grav- Gallen, S.F. et al. (2011) ESPL, 36, 1254-1267. [12] ity-driven mass-wasting [11] that is also likely modu- Johnson, B.G. et al. (2017) ESPL, 42, 2223-2239. [13] lated by climate-driven variations in annual to decadal Tsige, M. et al. (2016), EMP, 118, 1, 15. [14] Crosta, amounts of precipitation [12]. Interestingly, in at least G.B. et al. (2018) ESS, 5, 4, 89-119. [15] Kumar, P.S. et four areas, Rio Chama Canyon walls have failed as co- al. (2019) EPSL, 505, 51-64. [16], [17] Bigot-Cormier, herent Jurassic Entrada Formation sandstone blocks. F., and Montgomery, D.R. (2007) EPSL, 260, 1–2, 179- One of these intact Entrada blocks is nearly 5 km from 186. [18] Soukhovitskaya, V., and Manga, M. (2006) the present valley wall, highlighting the dramatic valley Icarus, 180, 2, 348-352. [19] Watkins, J.A. et al. (2015), wall retreat on the southern flank of the Rio Chama Can- Geology (Boulder), 43, no. 2, 107-110. yon. We wish to thank the USGS EdMap Program for fund- ing this research (Grant # G18AC00145) and the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources for their assistance. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mineralogy of the Martian Surface
    EA42CH14-Ehlmann ARI 30 April 2014 7:21 Mineralogy of the Martian Surface Bethany L. Ehlmann1,2 and Christopher S. Edwards1 1Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125; email: [email protected], [email protected] 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2014. 42:291–315 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on Mars, composition, mineralogy, infrared spectroscopy, igneous processes, February 21, 2014 aqueous alteration The Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences is online at earth.annualreviews.org Abstract This article’s doi: The past fifteen years of orbital infrared spectroscopy and in situ exploration 10.1146/annurev-earth-060313-055024 have led to a new understanding of the composition and history of Mars. Copyright c 2014 by Annual Reviews. Globally, Mars has a basaltic upper crust with regionally variable quanti- by California Institute of Technology on 06/09/14. For personal use only. All rights reserved ties of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine associated with distinctive terrains. Enrichments in olivine (>20%) are found around the largest basins and Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2014.42:291-315. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org within late Noachian–early Hesperian lavas. Alkali volcanics are also locally present, pointing to regional differences in igneous processes. Many ma- terials from ancient Mars bear the mineralogic fingerprints of interaction with water. Clay minerals, found in exposures of Noachian crust across the globe, preserve widespread evidence for early weathering, hydrothermal, and diagenetic aqueous environments. Noachian and Hesperian sediments include paleolake deposits with clays, carbonates, sulfates, and chlorides that are more localized in extent.
    [Show full text]
  • Underlying Structural Control of Small-Scale Faults and Fractures in West Candor Chasma, Mars C
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 117, E11001, doi:10.1029/2012JE004144, 2012 Underlying structural control of small-scale faults and fractures in West Candor Chasma, Mars C. Birnie,1 F. Fueten,1 R. Stesky,2 and E. Hauber3 Received 29 May 2012; revised 4 September 2012; accepted 18 September 2012; published 2 November 2012. [1] Orientations of small-scale faults and fractures within the interior layered deposits of West Candor Chasma were measured to investigate what information about the geologic history of Valles Marineris they can contribute. Deformational features were separated into six categories based on morphology and their orientations were analyzed. The elevations at which the deformational features formed are recorded, as a proxy for stratigraphic level. Deformational features occur over a continuous range of elevations and display regionally consistent preferred orientations, indicating their formation was controlled by a regional stress regime. The two most abundant preferred orientations of 35 and 110 are approximately parallel to the chasma walls and the inferred underlying normal faults. The alignment of three populations of small faults at 140, consistent with the morphology of release faults, indicates a large-scale fault underlying the southeastern border of Ceti Mensa. The preferred orientations imply these small-scale deformational features formed from a continuation of the same imposed stresses responsible for the formation of Valles Marineris, indicating these stresses existed past the formation of the interior layered deposits. The origins of a fourth preferred orientation of 70 is less clear but suggests the study area has undergone at least two periods of deformation. Citation: Birnie, C., F.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: Interplanetary Cruise Through Primary Mission
    p. 1 The Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: Interplanetary Cruise through Primary Mission Michael C. Malin and Kenneth S. Edgett Malin Space Science Systems P.O. Box 910148 San Diego CA 92130-0148 (note to JGR: please do not publish e-mail addresses) ABSTRACT More than three years of high resolution (1.5 to 20 m/pixel) photographic observations of the surface of Mars have dramatically changed our view of that planet. Among the most important observations and interpretations derived therefrom are that much of Mars, at least to depths of several kilometers, is layered; that substantial portions of the planet have experienced burial and subsequent exhumation; that layered and massive units, many kilometers thick, appear to reflect an ancient period of large- scale erosion and deposition within what are now the ancient heavily cratered regions of Mars; and that processes previously unsuspected, including gully-forming fluid action and burial and exhumation of large tracts of land, have operated within near- contemporary times. These and many other attributes of the planet argue for a complex geology and complicated history. INTRODUCTION Successive improvements in image quality or resolution are often accompanied by new and important insights into planetary geology that would not otherwise be attained. From the variety of landforms and processes observed from previous missions to the planet Mars, it has long been anticipated that understanding of Mars would greatly benefit from increases in image spatial resolution. p. 2 The Mars Observer Camera (MOC) was initially selected for flight aboard the Mars Observer (MO) spacecraft [Malin et al., 1991, 1992].
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of East Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris, Mars: Proposed Structural Collapse and Sedimentation
    THE EVOLUTION OF EAST CANDOR CHASMA, VALLES MARINERIS, MARS: PROPOSED STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE AND SEDIMENTATION Amanda Burden, BSc. (Hons.) MSc, Earth Science Submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Faculty of Math and Science, Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario Amanda Burden © November 2018 Amanda Burden Abstract Valles Marineris (VM), Mars has a long history of sedimentary deposition. East Candor Chasma is located on the eastern flank of Valles Marineris. Previous studies of the chasma suggests a complex geological history of collapse and basin infill. Interior Layer Deposits (ILDs) in East Candor Chasma span over 475 km long, 145 km wide and range in elevation from -5.5 km to 3.5 km at datum. The ILDs can be separated into six different unit varieties-massive, thick layer unit, thin layer unit, steeply inclined unit, deformed layer unit, and thin mesa unit. The massive unit contains no visible layering and a distinct erosional style. Thick layer units are found overlying the massive unit and tend to thin upwards within the mound. The thin layer unit overlies the thick layer unit and can be observed truncating thick layering. A steeply dipping unit is anomalous and found only in one mound within the chasma. A Deformed layer unit is commonly observed along the walls of the chasma indicating post erosional slumping. A thin mesa unit is thought to be a late ash cover which conformably drapes all pre-existing geology. Unconformities are observed throughout the chasma, three occur at an elevation of ~1000 m within the thick layer unit.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphological and Mineralogical Analysis of East Candor Chasma in Valles Marineris on Mars
    Seventh International Conference on Mars 3227.pdf MORPHOLOGICAL AND MINERALOGICAL ANALYSIS OF EAST CANDOR CHASMA IN VALLES MARINERIS ON MARS. L. Le Deit1, D. Mège1, O. Bourgeois1, S. Le Mouélic1, C. Sotin1, N. Mangold2, E. Hauber3, A. Gendrin4, J.-P. Bibring4, 1Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique UMR-CNRS 6112, Université de Nantes, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, 2 chemin de la Houssinière BP 92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France ([email protected]), 2IDES, UMR 8148, CNRS et Université Paris-Sud, Bat. 509, 91405 ORSAY Cedex, France, 3Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany, 4Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris 11, Bâtiment 121, 91405 Orsay Campus, France. Introduction: East Candor Chasma is one of the chian basement crops out along chasma wallslopes, large Valles Marineris chasmata (Figure 1). It is which are eroded in the form of spurs and gullies. The bounded by walls more than 6 km high displaying the basement crops out locally in the canyon in the form of initial spur and gully morphology, locally reworked by horsts. Non-fluted ILDs consist of subhorizontal and mass wasting processes [1]. The canyon is filled with thinly layered deposits of alternatively high and inter- layered deposits (Interior Layered Deposits -ILDs-), mediate albedo (Figure 5). We do not observe any for which several origins have been proposed includ- flutes on their slopes, suggesting a higher cohesion ing volcanic [2, 3, 4], aeolian [5], and lacustrine [5, 6]. than that of the stratigraphically overlying fluted ILDs. Ferric oxides and sulfates are detected in several places [7, 8, 9] and their occurrence may constrain the Table 1: Datasets and use in this study.
    [Show full text]
  • Lithospheric Structure and Tectonics at Isidis Planitia, Mars ∗ J
    Icarus 201 (2009) 528–539 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Icarus www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus Lithospheric structure and tectonics at Isidis Planitia, Mars ∗ J. Andreas Ritzer ,StevenA.Hauck,II Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 112 A.W. Smith Bldg., 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106-7216, United States article info abstract Article history: We characterize the lithospheric structure of Isidis Planitia on Mars by analyzing Mars Global Surveyor Received 2 May 2008 and Mars Odyssey gravity and topography data using a flexural model of a thin elastic shell including Revised 3 December 2008 bending and membrane stresses. Isidis Planitia is a circular, relatively flat plain formed near the end Accepted 21 January 2009 of the Early Noachian, at the edge of the highlands–lowlands boundary and the site of a large free- Availableonline13February2009 air gravity anomaly, features consistent with modification and filling of an impact basin. Our results −3 Keywords: suggest that the bulk density of the fill material inside Isidis must be more than 2600 kg m and Mars higher densities are probable. A comparison of the faulting observed at Nili Fossae to the predicted zone Tectonics of extensional strain northwest of Isidis constrains the thickness of the elastic lithosphere to be 100– Geophysics 180 km thick beneath the basin at the time of loading. We also find that loads outside of the basin play a significant role in the interpretation of the tectonics; simplified models tend to overestimate the − lithospheric thickness. We place relatively narrow bounds on the thermal gradient (3.4–6.5 K km 1)and − heat flux (13.6–26 mW m 2)atIsidisatthetimeofloading.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of Major Sedimentary Mounds on Mars: Build-Up Via Anticompensational Stacking Modulated by Climate Change
    Evolution of major sedimentary mounds on Mars: build-up via anticompensational stacking modulated by climate change Edwin S. Kite1,*, Jonathan Sneed1, David P. Mayer1, Kevin W. Lewis2, Timothy I. Michaels3, Alicia Hore4, Scot C.R. Rafkin5. 1. University of Chicago. 2. Johns Hopkins University. 3. SETI Institute. 4. Brock University. 5. Southwest Research Institute. (*[email protected]) Abstract. We present a new database of >300 layer-orientations from sedimentary mounds on Mars. These layer orientations, together with draped landslides, and draping of rocks over differentially- eroded paleo-domes, indicate that for the stratigraphically-uppermost ~1 km, the mounds formed by the accretion of draping strata in a mound-shape. The layer-orientation data further suggest that layers lower down in the stratigraphy also formed by the accretion of draping strata in a mound-shape. The data are consistent with terrain-influenced wind erosion, but inconsistent with tilting by flexure, differential compaction over basement, or viscoelastic rebound. We use a simple landscape evolution model to show how the erosion and deposition of mound strata can be modulated by shifts in obliquity. The model is driven by multi-Gyr calculations of Mars’ chaotic obliquity and a parameterization of terrain-influenced wind erosion that is derived from mesoscale modeling. Our results suggest that mound-spanning unconformities with kilometers of relief emerge as the result of chaotic obliquity shifts. Our results support the interpretation that Mars’ rocks record intermittent liquid-water runoff during a 108-yr interval of sedimentary rock emplacement. 1. Introduction. Understanding how sediment accumulated is central to interpreting the Earth’s geologic records (Allen & Allen 2013, Miall 2010).
    [Show full text]
  • Geomorphological Characteristics of Mariner Valley on Mars. in the Search for Evidences of Its Origin
    Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 20, EGU2018-7365, 2018 EGU General Assembly 2018 © Author(s) 2018. CC Attribution 4.0 license. Geomorphological characteristics of Mariner Valley on Mars. In the search for evidences of its origin Vladimir Anokhin (1,2,3) and Lev Maslov (4) (1) St. Petersburg Research Centre RAS, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation ([email protected]), (2) Institute of Limnology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation ([email protected]), (3) Herzen State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation ([email protected]), (4) ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation ([email protected]) The Valles Marineris system is the unique morpho-tectonic structure on Mars. This crack in Martian lithosphere, stretches latitudinally for about 4,000 km. Its deph reaches 11 km, with slopes reaching 70-80º. It is seen on maps that this system is the central part of a larger topographic structure, formed by two “rings” - Capri Chasma – Ares Valle – Sharonov - Echus Chasma (NE ring), and also by the arc Clarita - Bosphorus (SW ring). Altogether they form figure «8» with the axes oriented NE – SW. Center of «8» coincides with the center of the Valles Marineris system. We will call 8-like structure described above as the «Loop Marineris» structure. The Valles Marineris system itself has a complex structure. Its western part is made by canyons Ius Chasma on the south, and Titon Chasma on the north. The central valley - Melas Chasma – joins the system of intersecting valleys Candor Chasma, and in the east it joins the long, stretched valley Coprates Chasma. Locaion of Valles Marineris, on the top of elevated tectono-volcanic plato, similar to that of earth ridges, brings us to idea of its endogenic origin.
    [Show full text]
  • Low-Albedo Surfaces and Eolian Sediment: Mars Orbiter Camera Views of Western Arabia Terra Craters and Wind Streaks
    Low-albedo surfaces and eolian sediment: Mars Orbiter Camera views of western Arabia Terra craters and wind streaks Kenneth S. Edgett Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., San Diego, California, USA Abstract. High spatial resolution (1.5 to 6 m/pixel) Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera images obtained September 1997 to June 2001 show that each of the large, dark wind streaks of western Arabia Terra originate at a barchan dune field on a crater floor. The streaks consist of a relatively thin (< 1 m) coating of sediment deflated from the dune fields and their vicinity. In most cases, this sediment drapes over a previous mantle that more thickly covers nearly all of western Arabia Terra. No concurrent eolian bedforms are found within the dark streaks, nor do any dunes climb up crater walls to deliver sand via saltation to the streaks. The relations between dunes, wind streak, and subjacent terrain imply that dark-toned grains finer than those that comprise the dunes are lifted into suspension and carried out of the craters to be deposited on the adjacent terrain. Previous eolian physics and thermal inertia studies suggest that, under modern Martian conditions, such grains likely include silt (3.9–62.5 !m), very fine sand (62.5–125 !m), and possibly fine sand (to ~210 !m). The streaks change in terms of extent, relative albedo, and surface pattern over periods measured in years; however, through June 2001, very little evidence for recent eolian activity (dust plumes, storms, dune movement) was observed. received 18 July 2001, revised 21 December 2001, accepted 2 January 2002, published 13 June 2002 Citation: Edgett, K.
    [Show full text]
  • Spectral and Geological Study of the Sulfate-Rich Region of West Candor Chasma, Mars
    Icarus 194 (2008) 519–543 www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus Spectral and geological study of the sulfate-rich region of West Candor Chasma, Mars Nicolas Mangold a,∗, Aline Gendrin b, Brigitte Gondet b, Stephane LeMouelic c, Cathy Quantin a, Véronique Ansan a, Jean-Pierre Bibring b, Yves Langevin b, Philippe Masson a, Gerhard Neukum d a IDES, UMR8148 CNRS, Université Paris Sud, Bat 509, F-91405 Orsay, France b IAS, UMR8617, Bat 121, F-91405, Orsay, France c LPG, CNRS/Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, F-44322 Nantes cedex 3, France d Freie Universität, Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Malteserstrasse 74-100, D-12249 Berlin, Germany Received 8 June 2007; revised 13 September 2007 Available online 14 December 2007 Abstract Sulfates have been discovered by the OMEGA spectrometer in different locations of the planet Mars. They are strongly correlated to light toned layered deposits in the equatorial regions. West Candor Chasma is the canyon with the thickest stack of layers and one with the largest area covered by sulfates. A detailed study coupling mineralogy derived from OMEGA spectral data and geology derived from HRSC imager and other datasets leads to some straightforward issues. The monohydrated sulfate kieserite is found mainly over heavily eroded scarps of light toned material. It likely corresponds to a mineral present in the initial rock formed either during formation and diagenesis of sediments, or during hydrothermal alteration at depth, because it is typically found on outcrops that are eroded and steep. Polyhydrated sulfates, that match any Ca-, Na-, Fe-, or Mg-sulfates with more than one water molecule, are preferentially present on less eroded and darker outcrops than outcrops of kieserite.
    [Show full text]
  • Brittle-Plastic Shear Zones on Valles Marineris Floor: Identification and Implications
    50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2132) 2064.pdf BRITTLE-PLASTIC SHEAR ZONES ON VALLES MARINERIS FLOOR: IDENTIFICATION AND IMPLICATIONS. D. Mège1, J. Gurgurewicz1, S. Douté2 , F. Schmidt3 and R. A. Schultz4, 1Space Research Centre PAS, Warsaw, Poland ([email protected], [email protected]), 2Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Gre- noble, UMR CNRS 5274, France ([email protected]), 3Géosciences Paris-Sud, UMR CNRS-UPS 8148, Orsay, France ([email protected]) 4Orion Geomechanics LLC, Cypress, Texas, USA (ori- [email protected]). Introduction: The presence of a dense swarm of floor, such as the ILDs, landslide deposits, dunes, and dikes several tens of meters thick on the floor of Ophir moraines. Nevertheless, the same shear system is iden- Chasma, which do not cut the surrounding Interior Lay- tified over more than 3 km perpendicular to strike in ered Deposits (ILD), indicates that kilometers of bed- eastern Ophir Chasma, and 8 km in Hebes Chasma. rock must have been eroded or are missing in this part Such widths are on Earth correlated with shear zone hor- of Valles Marineris [1]. We report on the existence of izontal displacements one order larger, i.e. tens of kilo- brittle-plastic, NE-SW oriented dextral shear zones sim- meters [2], probably implying total shear zone length of ilarly exposed in the deepest parts of Ophir Chasma, as one to several thousands of kilometers (e.g., [3]). This well as Hebes Chasma. We discuss their identification, implies that the crust of Valles Marineris and its neigh- boring regions is divided into distinct tectonic blocks kinematics, age, the nature of the deformed rock, and that moved horizontally relative to each other.
    [Show full text]
  • Ferric Oxides in East Candor Chasma, Valles
    Ferric oxides in East Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris (Mars) inferred from analysis of OMEGA/Mars Express data: Identification and geological interpretation Laetitia Le Deit, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Olivier Bourgeois, Jean-Philippe Combe, Daniel Mège, Christophe Sotin, Aline Gendrin, Ernst Hauber, Nicolas Mangold, Jean-Pierre Bibring To cite this version: Laetitia Le Deit, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Olivier Bourgeois, Jean-Philippe Combe, Daniel Mège, et al.. Ferric oxides in East Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris (Mars) inferred from analysis of OMEGA/Mars Express data: Identification and geological interpretation. Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets, Wiley-Blackwell, 2008, 10.1029/2007JE002950. hal-02359935 HAL Id: hal-02359935 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02359935 Submitted on 12 Nov 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 113, E07001, doi:10.1029/2007JE002950, 2008 Click Here for Full Article Ferric oxides in East Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris (Mars) inferred from analysis of OMEGA/Mars Express data: Identification and geological interpretation Laetitia Le Deit,1 Ste´phane Le Moue´lic,1 Olivier Bourgeois,1 Jean-Philippe Combe,2 Daniel Me`ge,1 Christophe Sotin,1,3 Aline Gendrin,4 Ernst Hauber,5 Nicolas Mangold,1,6 and Jean-Pierre Bibring4 Received 6 June 2007; revised 15 January 2008; accepted 21 February 2008; published 1 July 2008.
    [Show full text]