Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Apr 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003eaeja.....4032h&link_type=abstract
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #4032
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
Building on Bridges et al. [2003, JGR 108], we are currently studying the general geologic history and evolution of the Isidis basin based on topographic and imaging data obtained by orbiting spacecraft such as Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Odyssey. This study complements our recently completed analyses on Syrtis Major to the west [Hiesinger and Head, 2002, LPSC 1063] and the transition between Syrtis Major and Isidis [Ivanov and Head, 2002, LPSC 1341]. We are interested in a number of scientific questions, for example, what are the characteristics of the Isidis rim and what caused its present morphology? What is the role and fate of volatiles in the Isidis basin and what are the characteristics of the uppermost surface layer? Does the floor of the Isidis basin primarily consist of volcanic plains as indicated by wrinkle ridges and cone-like features, material deposited by a catastrophic collapse of the rim as proposed by Tanaka et al. [2000, GRL 29], or of sediments deposited in an ocean as suggested by Parker et al. [1989, Icarus 82]? What is the stratigraphy of the deposits within the Isidis basin and what processes were responsible for its present appearance? For our study we used MOLA topography data with a spatial resolution of 128 pixel/deg. The data allowed us to obtain a detailed view of the Isidis basin, its structure, stratigraphy, geologic history and its evolution. Our preliminary investigation let us conclude that (1) the basin floor is tilted towards the southwest with about 0.015 degree, (2) there are 2 types of ridges within the Isidis basin, (3) ridges of the thumbprint terrain are ~10-50 m high, less than ~5-7 km wide, and occur at narrowly constrained elevations of ~-3600 to -3700 m, (4) these ridges occur only within the innermost ring structure and most of them are not exposed at the lowest elevations, (5) wrinkle ridges are ~75-100 m high, less than ~70 km wide, hundreds of kilometers long and occur over a wide range of elevations, (6) the rim of Isidis exhibits a wide range of elevations of ~7500-8000 m. The floor of the Isidis basin has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the landing site for the first European lander on Mars, named Beagle, and is under consideration as a potential landing site for one of the NASA MER rovers. While Beagle will investigate the characteristics of the uppermost surface layers, the Mars Express spacecraft will orbit the planet to acquire global high-resolution remote sensing data and to ensure data downlink from the lander to Earth.
Head James W. III
Hiesinger Harald
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