Other
Scientific paper
May 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agusm.p31a..13l&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2002, abstract #P31A-13
Other
5480 Volcanism (8450)
Scientific paper
A prominent channel 2 km in width and 37 km in length extends from near the summit area of Ceraunius Tholus (24.2N, 97.4W, 130x92 km) northwards down into an impact crater (34x19 km) that lies at the base of the main volcanic structure. Previous workers have suggested that this channel formed by thermal erosion of turbulent lava flowing over a basaltic substrate (of either effusive or explosive origin). We explore this hypothesis based on a numerical model using images from the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) and topographic data from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). We employ the thermal erosion model of turbulent lava flow similar to that used by Wilson and Mouginis-Mark (2001). Three measurements (channel width (W), channel depth (D) and the slope of the flank (s)) are required by the model to calculate the flow speed, eruption rate, eruption volume, and eruption duration. We measured W and D from MOC images (shadow measure for D), and s from MOLA profiles. Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, flow friction coefficient, and lava viscosity were estimated for two possible substrates, basaltic rock and basaltic ash (Wilson and Mouginis-Mark, 2001). Our preliminary results show that in the case of basaltic rock substrate, the formation of the channel on Ceraunius Tholus is consistent with a single eruption with the total eruption volume of about 420 km3 and total eruption duration of 90 days. Previous work has demonstrated that the volume of a single lava flow on Mars can exceed 500 km3, thus this volume could have been produced in a single event. We predict that 420 km3 provides the upper boundary for eruption volume, since an ash shield has a flow friction factor smaller than that of basaltic rock and therefore the erosion rate should be higher and thus require less lava and a shorter duration to produce the same channel. Thus far we have shown that this channel could have been formed as the result of a single flow event. However, the required volume is much larger than the small fan found where the channel debouches into the flank crater indicating the channel formed before the crater. The fan was formed later as result of slumping of material down the channel or later stage, smaller eruptions. We are continuing work to find better constraints on the thermal and mechanical parameters in our model through examination of other volcanic channels on Mars, Moon, and Earth. Ultimately we hope to constrain the mode of emplacement of materials that form the edifice of Ceraunius Tholus (ash or effusive). Reference: Wilson, L. and Mouginis-Mark, P.J, Estimation of volcanic eruption conditions for a large flank event on Elysium Mons, Mars, JGR, 106, E9, 20,621-20,628, 2001.
Li Handong
Robinson Mark S.
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