Latitudinal variation of wind erosion of crater ejecta deposits on Mars

Arvidson, R. E.; Coradini, A.; Carusi, A.; Fulchignoni, M.; Federico, C.; Funiciello, R.; Salomone, M.

doi:10.1016/0019-1035(76)90166-4

Cited by 70 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…3). Arvidson et al (1976) suggested that pedestal craters form when the material surrounding the crater's ejecta blanket is deflated by eolian processes. The rough, competent surface of the ejecta essentially shields the underlying surface from this erosion.…”

Section: Pedestal Cratersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars: Layered ejecta and central pit characteristics

Barlow

2006

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract-Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Odyssey data are being used to revise the Catalog of Large Martian Impact Craters. Analysis of data in the revised catalog provides new details on the distribution and morphologic details of 6795 impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars. This report focuses on the ejecta morphologies and central pit characteristics of these craters. The results indicate that single-layer ejecta (SLE) morphology is most consistent with impact into an ice-rich target. Double-layer ejecta (DLE) and multiple-layer ejecta (MLE) craters also likely form in volatile-rich materials, but the interaction of the ejecta curtain and target-produced vapor with the thin Martian atmosphere may be responsible for the large runout distances of these ejecta. Pancake craters appear to be a modified form of double-layer craters where the thin outer layer has been destroyed or is unobservable at present resolutions. Pedestal craters are proposed to form in an icerich mantle deposited during high obliquity periods from which the ice has subsequently sublimated. Central pits likely form by the release of vapor produced by impact into ice-soil mixed targets. Therefore, results from the present study are consistent with target volatiles playing a dominant role in the formation of crater morphologies found in the Martian northern hemisphere.

show abstract

Section: Pedestal Cratersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars: Layered ejecta and central pit characteristics

Barlow

2006

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, what is not clear is the emplacement mechanism(s) of these ejecta deposits. Originally attributed to modification by wind action (McCauley 1973;Arvidson 1976), two main models have been proposed to account for the fluidized nature of layered ejecta deposits on Mars: 1) vaporization of volatiles in the subsurface produces a volatile-rich vapor plume which causes the entrained ejecta to flow following initial ballistic deposition (e.g., Carr et al 1977;Wohletz and Sheridan 1983); and 2) interaction of the ejecta curtain with the Martian atmosphere creates a vortex ring, which then entrains, transports, and deposits the ejecta in successive flows, with the fine-grained material forming the upper layers (e.g., Schultz and Gault 1979;Schultz 1992;Barnouin-Jha and Schultz 1998). In both these models, the fluidized, multiple layers of ejecta are formed via interaction of the primary ballistic ejecta curtain with some medium.…”

Section: Observations From Martian Impact Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of volatiles and target lithology on the generation and emplacement of impact crater fill and ejecta deposits on Mars

Osinski

2006

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Effect of volatiles and target lithology on the generation and emplacement of impact crater fill and ejecta deposits on MarsAbstract-Impact cratering is an important geological process on Mars and the nature of Martian impact craters may provide important information as to the volatile content of the Martian crust. Terrestrial impact structures currently provide the only ground-truth data as to the role of volatiles and an atmosphere on the impact-cratering process. Recent advancements, based on studies of several well-preserved terrestrial craters, have been made regarding the role and effect of volatiles on the impact-cratering process. Combined field and laboratory studies reveal that impact melting is much more common in volatile-rich targets than previously thought, so impact-melt rocks, melt-bearing breccias, and glasses should be common on Mars. Consideration of the terrestrial impact-cratering record suggests that it is the presence or absence of subsurface volatiles and not the presence of an atmosphere that largely controls ejecta emplacement on Mars. Furthermore, recent studies at the Haughton and Ries impact structures reveal that there are two discrete episodes of ejecta deposition during the formation of complex impact craters that provide a mechanism for generating multiple layers of ejecta. It is apparent that the relative abundance of volatiles in the near-surface region outside a transient cavity and in the target rocks within the transient cavity play a key role in controlling the amount of fluidization of Martian ejecta deposits. This study shows the value of using terrestrial analogues, in addition to observational data from robotic orbiters and landers, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to explore the Martian impact-cratering record.

show abstract

“…Over 2.5 Â 10 6 km 2 of the Martian polar regions are still covered by apparently young, stratified deposits [Blasius et al, 1982]. These deposits are most likely composed of volcanic ash and dust particles [Sharp, 1973] mixed with CO 2 and H 2 O [Arvidson et al, 1976]. The Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer data support this idea indicating that the polar layered deposits are composed of a mixture of CO 2 and atmospheric dust [Kieffer et al, 2000], while MOLA results suggest a significant H 2 O component as well [Zuber et al, 1998;Zuber, 1999].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deflation/erosion rates for the Parva Member, Dorsa Argentea Formation and implications for the south polar region of Mars

et al. 2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] The origins of the surficial materials in the geologic units surrounding the Martian southern polar region have been poorly constrained on the basis of pre-Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) data and studies. MGS studies suggest that these units are the remnant of volatile loss from an originally massive volatile-rich debris blanket or the result of fluidized slurries resulting from magma/volatile interactions or impact shaking. We use Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data to examine a region adjacent to the south polar layered terrain at 72°-79°S and 230°-275°E, generally equivalent to the mapped Parva member of the Dorsa Argentea Formation (DAF). The pedestal and ''ghost'' impact crater morphologies in this area suggest that extensive deposits of loosely consolidated materials have been removed from this region. The Parva member is thus likely to be the remaining debris blanket from the deflated remnant of an unprotected deposit that was originally similar to the buried DAF deposits in the adjacent Cavi member. Crater counts indicate that the Parva member is of Hesperian age and overlies an older Noachian surface, likely the highland cratered terrain (Npl 1 ). If regional deflation began in the Hesperian and continues through today, the region has been exposed to erosion rates of 1.3-1.6 Â 10 À7 m/yr. However, if deflation started later than the assumed times or ceased in the Amazonian, when deposition of the polar layered deposits began, erosion rates as high as 2.-5.2 Â 10 À7 m/yr might have existed. These erosion rates are within the range of published Martian nonbedrock erosion rates of 10 À8 -10 À5 m/yr.

show abstract

Latitudinal variation of wind erosion of crater ejecta deposits on Mars

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars: Layered ejecta and central pit characteristics

Impact craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars: Layered ejecta and central pit characteristics

Effect of volatiles and target lithology on the generation and emplacement of impact crater fill and ejecta deposits on Mars

Deflation/erosion rates for the Parva Member, Dorsa Argentea Formation and implications for the south polar region of Mars

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About