Laboratory Analyses Of Basaltic Dunes In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii And Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars

Details Laboratory Analyses Of Basaltic Dunes In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii And Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars Laboratory Analyses Of Basaltic Dunes In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii And Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p13b1373t&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P13B-1373

Mathematics

Logic

[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 dunes are the dominant aeolian bedforms on Mars and consist of ancient volcanic ashes and reworked basaltic lavas. Basaltic dunes are rare on Earth and only occur in limited areas, such Hawaii. Because the Hawaiian dunes are composed of reworked basaltic sediments transported by eolian processes, they are a promising subject matter of analogy studies. Samples of dark dune sands, ash, and tephra collected in Hawaii's Ka'u Desert were collected during field trips in summer 2009 and 2010. They were analyzed by a variety of laboratory methods, including spectral, microscope, and microprobe investigations, in order examine their detailed mineralogical composition and constitution. We then compared the results to the eolian dunes on Mars. Sand samples were collected from three different dark dunes in Ka'u Desert: a large, vegetated, parabolic dune, a falling dune, and a large climbing dune. Tephra from the phreatic eruption that began in March 2008 was collected over a two year period using sample collectors placed at different locations downwind of Kilauea caldera. Analyses of these samples allow us to determining the initial composition, grain shape, and grain size of probable source materials. The visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of the samples were acquired for the 0.5 to 2.5µm range. The overall spectral shape of the dune sand samples indicates a mineralogical correlation between Martian and terrestrial dune sands indicating a similar volcanic origin of the sediments. The spectra of the Hawaiian samples reveal some aqueous alteration, which is probably related to hydrated amorphous silica. Initial microscope and microprobe analyses reveal a high amount of volcanic glass and rock fragments in the samples, followed by olivine, feldspars, and pyroxene. Vitric particles that dominate the majority of the dune samples indicate in situ material accumulation following larger phreatic eruptions. The top coarse-grained layer of the climbing dune comprises a higher amount of rock fragments, indicating that these sands originate from reworked lava and were deposited in a subsequent dune formation phase (see also Craddock et al., this conference). We will present the comparison of Martian, terrestrial and library spectra, determine grain shape and grain size, and propose possible sediment sources, transport mechanisms, and development of the dune material.

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