Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization?

Details Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization? Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization?

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p43d1711w&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P43D-1711

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

[5475] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Tectonics, [6225] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mars

Scientific paper

The volcanic edifice of Olympus Mons is surrounded by presumed mass-movement landforms known as the aureole deposits. It has been suggested that the aureole deposits are the result of a catastrophic failure of the volcanic edifice. Tantalizingly, a topographic examination of the Eastern flank of Olympus Mons suggests that a large failure may have been captured. The flank exhibits a ~ 80 km near-continuous extensional fracture, bounded on either side by radial tear faults, that cut both the scarp face, and the more recent lava flows that have modified the basal scarp. Observed along fault offsets are on the order of 100 m. A compressional toe, parallel and downslope to the extensional fracture, may be linked and the result of downslope movement of the flank. If so, then a significant portion of the outer edge of the Eastern basal scarp may define a coherent zone of slope instability, or failure. Using digital elevation models derived from HRSC data, several transects along the basal scarp slope face are analyzed to better understand and quantify the stability of each section of the eastern slope, and examine potential failure conditions and mechanisms. Slope stability analysis is used to determine the likelihood of the Eastern basal scarp experiencing a catastrophic failure along the entire fault trace. This result may indicate an active failure process that can lead to an aureole type deposit. If this failure were to occur, a simple case of a curvilinear slip surface connecting the up-slope extensional and down-slope compressional fault traces produces an estimate for the potential mobile landslide volume on the order of 1000 cubic km, or ~ 5-10% of the volume previously estimated for the aureole lobe off of the east flank of Olympus Mons. Preliminary results from topography show that numerous smaller-scale localized slope failures that are emplaced upon young lava flows have occurred along this section of the basal scarp, suggesting significant instability and a strong potential for failure.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Eastern Olympus Mons Basal Scarp: Potential for active slope mobilization? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-872614