Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p43c1411g&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P43C-1411
Physics
5480 Volcanism (6063, 8148, 8450), 6225 Mars
Scientific paper
The volcano Tyrrhena Patera (22°S, 108°E), Mars, is a low-relief structure with a central caldera complex, and whose flanks are dissected by broad (< 5 km wide), flat-floored radiating channels. The morphology of the volcano flanks is consistent with eroded, differentially welded pyroclastic flows. Hesperian- aged plains materials embay the volcano flanks, and locally embay the channel floors. The origin of these plains remains unclear: they may be fluid lava flows or reworked volcaniclastics deposited in a lucustrine environment. Amazonian-aged lava flows, connected to the summit caldera complex, crosscut the volcano flanks and overlie the Hesperian-aged plains. Tyrrhena Patera's deposits and its environs may therefore represent the full range of volcanic eruption styles on Mars through most of the planet's history. To date, only mafic products have been identified in this region. Tyrrhena Patera's flanks have been interpreted to be layered pyroclastic deposits because they appear to be easily eroded and lack any primary lava flow morphologies. Recent mapping efforts reveal that the flank materials can be identified at least as far as 450 km from the Tyrrhena Patera summit, possibly as far as 750 km. These observations raise unanswered questions about the dynamics of pyroclastic flow emplacement on Mars, because the longest pyroclastic flow yet identified on Earth is <<200 km. Lava flows are clearly identified in a large (1000 km x 300 km) field that extends southwest from the Tyrrhena Patera summit. Lobate scarps, leveed channels, and a 600-km-long tube/channel system have been observed. Flow lobe and lava channel dimensions suggest that the individual eruptions were volume-limited, rather than cooling-limited. However, ambient conditions on Mars caution against the use of terms such as "a'a" and "pahoehoe" to describe these lavas. Both the ancient, dissected flanks and the comparatively young lava flow field indicate the presence of a long-lived, large-volume magma chamber beneath Tyrrhena Patera. To date, however, there is no evidence of evolved lavas erupting at any time, in contrast to similar long-lived, large-volume systems on Earth.
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