This area of Lunae Planum (centred around 4°S and 298°E) has been studied by various authors, who have described the presence of exhumed channels (sinuous lineations), Light Layered Deposits (LLD), and detected hydrated sul- phates associated with LLDs. We performed sedimentological, geomorphological, and stratigraphic analyses of the LLDs and produced geological maps of the area. The geological maps can serve as a guide for scientific or landing site analyses, and they represent a tool for making lateral correlations and for detecting different units in the vertical dimension. Our aim is to contribute to the debate about processes associated with the presence of water, the factors controlling these processes, and the residence time of liquid water on the surface of Mars. The significant element that emerges from this work is the complex evolutionary history of the study area and, to our knowledge, the area represents a unique example on Mars of clear evidence of tectonic influence on sedimentation.
Fluvio–Lacustrine Sedimentation and Tectonic Influence, Lunae Planum (Mars).
SALESE, FRANCESCO;ORI, Gian Gabriele;PONDRELLI, MONICA;KOMATSU, Goro
2014-01-01
Abstract
This area of Lunae Planum (centred around 4°S and 298°E) has been studied by various authors, who have described the presence of exhumed channels (sinuous lineations), Light Layered Deposits (LLD), and detected hydrated sul- phates associated with LLDs. We performed sedimentological, geomorphological, and stratigraphic analyses of the LLDs and produced geological maps of the area. The geological maps can serve as a guide for scientific or landing site analyses, and they represent a tool for making lateral correlations and for detecting different units in the vertical dimension. Our aim is to contribute to the debate about processes associated with the presence of water, the factors controlling these processes, and the residence time of liquid water on the surface of Mars. The significant element that emerges from this work is the complex evolutionary history of the study area and, to our knowledge, the area represents a unique example on Mars of clear evidence of tectonic influence on sedimentation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.