Analyses Of A Large Climbing Dune In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii: Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars

Details Analyses Of A Large Climbing Dune In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii: Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars Analyses Of A Large Climbing Dune In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii: Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p13b1370c&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P13B-1370

Physics

[5415] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Erosion And Weathering, [5460] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Physical Properties Of Materials, [5464] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Remote Sensing, [5480] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Volcanism

Scientific paper

Dark, fine-grained sediment is distributed over much of the surface of Mars. Frequently this sediment accumulates as dunes on the floors of craters or against topographic obstacles. Analyses of the mineralogy of these materials from OMEGA spectral data has established that they are dominantly mafic in composition and are most likely derived from the weathering of basaltic deposits. While common features on Mars, dunes consisting of basaltic sediments are rare on Earth. The objectives of our study are to 1) determine the emplacement history of basaltic dunes located in the Ka’u Desert of Hawaii in order to assess the extent to which sediments have been transported and reworked, 2) determine the changes in physical and chemical characteristics of basaltic sediments derived from the Keanakako’i tephra deposit as they are transported by eolian processes, and to 3) acquire the visible to near-infrared spectra of terrestrial basaltic sediments in order to better interpret remote sensing data from Mars. The first step in the process was to analyze a large climbing dune located along the Kalanaokuaiki Pali fault scarp at 19° 20’ 39” N, 155° 18’ 26” W. This dune is ~6-7 m high and ~500 m long. Its surface is dominated by coarse-grained basaltic sand composed primarily of lithic and vitric fragments, olivine, feldspar, and pyroxene. Augering reveals that this basaltic sand occurs to depths of ~3 meters although a thin (<15 cm) clay-rich interbed also occurs. Cross-bedding is well developed throughout most of this deposit, suggesting that it has aggraded over time from eolian activity. Below ~3 m depths the dune is composed of vitric-rich sand. Our preliminary analyses show that many of these particles are fragile (e.g., consisting of glass rods), which may indicate that these vitric materials were emplaced in situ following large phreatic eruptions at Kilauea. Both main units within the dune correspond to the general stratigraphy recognized in the Keanakako’i tephra. We will present chemical analyses of the materials within this climbing dune, determine the physical characteristics of the particles within each unit, and present preliminary age dates from obsidian hydration and thermal luminescence techniques. A climbing dune along the Kalanaokuaiki Pali in the Ka'u Desert of Hawaii was the subject of this study.

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