“SOFT-SEDIMENT” AND DEEP-SEATED GRAVITATIONAL SLOPE DEFORMATIONS MECHANISMS IN THE SOUTH POLAR LAYERED DEPOSITS (PROMETHEI LINGULA, MARS): GEOLOGIC AND CLIMATIC IMPLICATIONS

Our study is the first attempt at a semi-quantitative structural and kinematic analysis of large-scale deformational systems observed in the South Polar Layered Deposits in the Promethei Lingula margins (Mars). In particular, by systematically collecting attitude data referable to previously unknown deformational structures and defining the cross-cut relationships of the structures, we reconstructed a deformational history consisting of two superimposed, welldefined stages, arguing in favor of “soft-sediment” and Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope Deformations (DSGSD) mechanisms within SPLD.