Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jun 1999
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999msls.work...61k&link_type=abstract
Second Mars Surveyor Landing Site Workshop, p. 61
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Landing Sites, Site Selection, Canyons, Mars Surface, Mars Landing, Planetary Geology
Scientific paper
Ganges Chasma is in the NE part of the Valles Marineris system. Together with Capri Chasma, it is the source area for Simud and Tiu Valles. The formation of Ganges Chasma and similar features in Xanthe Terra is attributed to withdrawal of ground water and collapse of plateau rocks along fault systems. The main part of Ganges Chasma cuts through younger Hesperian plains (unit Hpl3), interpreted to represent resurfacing of older units by low viscous lavas. Some of the features attributed to catastrophic flooding in Hesperian times modified the surface of the Hpl3 unit (as well as units Npl1 and Npl2). These features could indicate fluvial erosion from the release of ground water. Carr suggested that when the chasmata formed, the permafrost layer was thinner than today and that ground water flowed or seeped from the chasmata walls to form lakes. The lakes were subsequently drained by catastrophic outflow, forming channels in the Xanthe Terra region. Remnants of the layered deposits visible in western Ganges Chasma could be paleolake sediments. McKay and Nedell suggested that the putative lakes could have been environments for the precipitation of carbonates. McEwen and Soderblom suggested that some of the bright layers could be carbonates. Most of the layered deposits are superposed on chaotic terrain, suggesting a younger age than the outflow channels. Sediments associated with ground water could be also deposited on the floor of Ganges Chasma, along with mass-wasted and debris flow materials. Two potential landing sites are selected for study in the eastern part of Ganges Chasma where there is a transition from the chasma depression to the channel. This part of Ganges Chasma may have served as the source area for the outflow channel, similar to that in the west where chaotic terrain is preserved. The map of Rotto and Tanaka shows that the youngest floor deposits are mostly alluvium and mass-wasted material. These materials represent a wide range of rock ages, including the ancient megaregolith and highland plateau materials. Modern low albedo aeolian materials are found on the chasma floor.
Greeley Ronald
Kuzmin Ruslan
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