Candidate cave entrances on Mars

Abstract

This paper presents newly discovered candidate cave entrances into Martian near-surface lava tubes, volcano-tectonic fracture systems, and pit craters and describes their characteristics and exploration possibilities. These candidates are all collapse features that occur either intermittently along laterally continuous trench-like depressions or in the floors of sheer-walled atypical pit craters. As viewed from orbit, locations of most candidates are visibly consistent with known terrestrial features such as tube-fed lava flows, volcano-tectonic fractures, and pit craters, each of which forms by mechanisms that can produce caves. Although we cannot determine subsurface extents of the Martian features discussed here, some may continue unimpeded for many kilometers if terrestrial examples are indeed analogous. The features presented here were identified in images acquired by the Mars Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System visiblewavelength camera, and by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera. Select candidates have since been targeted by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment. Martian caves are promising potential sites for future human habitation and astrobiology investigations; understanding their characteristics is critical for long-term mission planning and for developing the necessary exploration technologies.

A New Analysis of Mars “Special Regions”: Findings of the Second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2)

“…To date, Mars mission imaging has yielded views of vertical pits or shafts of various sizes and descriptions in volcanic terrains that may be associated with some form of extensional tectonics, collapse of material into an emptied magma chamber, or other processes (Wyrick et al, 2004;Cushing et al, 2007;Smart et al, 2011;Cushing, 2012;Halliday et al, 2012). Caves on Mars were speculated about before they were identified (e.g., Grin et al, 1998Grin et al, , 1999, and chains of collapse pits are now visible in many locations on Mars and interpreted as possible lava tubes, sinuous rilles, or other volcanic subterranean features (Boston, 2004;Cabrol et al, 2009); see Fig.…”

“…Such features appear to be a by-product of lava flows or dikes as they are here on Earth, and these can be made by a variety of mechanisms (Kempe et al, 2006;Kempe, 2009). Methods to refine remote detection of such features are being undertaken (e.g., Cushing et al, 2007;Wynne et al, 2008;Cushing, 2012).…”

“…Collapsed pits associated with extensional tectonics, northeast of Arsia Mons at -2.27°S, 241.90°E(Cushing, 2012). HiRISE image ESP_014380_1775.…”

Planning views to model planetary pits under transient illumination

“…It has several skylight pits, one of which is modeled from imagery in Section 8. Evidence of lava tubes has been identified on the surface of both the Moon and Mars [1], [2].…”

Plowing for Rover Control on Extreme Slopes

“…This is a mechanical analog to a climbers use of a handle or pole to arrest or control a slide. The plow on There is an interesting skylight in the center [6]. the rover is actuated using a rack and pinion and has a lexan tip to help the plow pierce the ground to minimize vertical plow forces ( Figure 4).…”