Canyon Wall and Floor Debris Deposits in Aeolis Mons, Mars

Abstract

Aeolis Mons (informally, Mount Sharp) exhibits a number of canyons, including Gediz and Sakarya Valles. Poorly sorted debris deposits are evident on both canyon floors and connect with debris extending down the walls for canyon segments that cut through sulphate‐bearing strata. On the floor of Gediz Vallis, debris overfills a central channel and merges with a massive debris ridge located at the canyon terminus. One wall‐based debris ridge is evident. In comparison, the floor of Sakarya Vallis exhibits a complex array of debris deposits. Debris deposits on wall segments within Sakarya Vallis are mainly contained within chutes that extend downhill from scarps. Lateral debris ridges are also evident on chute margins. We interpret the debris deposits in the two canyons to be a consequence of one or more late‐stage hydrogeomorphic events that increased the probability of landslides, assembled and channelized debris on the canyon floors, and moved materials down‐canyon. The highly soluble nature of the sulphate‐bearing rocks likely contributed to enhanced debris generation by concurrent aqueous weathering to produce blocky regolith for transport downslope by fluvial activity and landslides, including some landslides that became debris flows. Subsequent wind erosion in Gediz Vallis removed most of the debris deposits within that canyon and partially eroded the deposits within Sakarya Vallis. The enhanced wind erosion within Gediz Vallis was a consequence of the canyon's alignment with prevailing slope winds.

Alteration at the Base of the Siccar Point Unconformity and Further Evidence for an Alkaline Provenance at Gale Crater: Exploration of the Mount Sharp Group, Greenheugh Pediment Cap Rock Contact With APXS

“…The Gediz Vallis ridge, south of the pediment (Figure 2) appears to contain abundant large, dark blocks and boulders. (Bryk et al., 2019; Hughes et al., 2020). Could the Gediz Vallis ridge be the source of the high‐K and ‐Na Lomond Hills/Heinrich Waenke float cap rocks and the material that capped Western butte?…”

Alteration at the base of the Siccar Point unconformity and further evidence for an alkaline provenance at Gale crater: Exploration of the Mount Sharp group, Greenheugh pediment cap rock contact with APXS

“…The Gediz Vallis ridge, south of the pediment (Figure 2) appears to contain abundant large, dark blocks and boulders. (Bryk et al, 2019;Hughes et al, 2020). Could the Gediz Vallis ridge be the source of the high-K and -Na Lomond Hills/Heinrich Waenke float cap rocks and the material that capped Western butte?…”

Lacustrine sedimentation by powerful storm waves in Gale crater and its implications for a warming episode on Mars

“…The above background summary emphasized investigations with direct implications to the main focus of our study. Additional scientific results about MSL research in Gale crater include significant contributions on mineralogy 46 , bulk elemental composition 47 – 49 , elemental analysis by laser ablation 50 – 52 , diagenesis 53 – 55 , isotopic compositions 56 , 57 , organic geochemistry 58 – 63 , atmospheric and aeolian processes 64 – 66 , and regional geological and sedimentological investigations 43 , 67 – 69 .…”