BECAS
QUIROGA CARRASCO Rodrigo Adolfo
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
GEOMORPHOLOGYC, KINEMATIC AND GEOLOGICAL MAPPING IN THE NOCTIS LABYRINTHUS
Autor/es:
VERÓNICA MARDONES; MATÍAS PEÑA; RODRIGO QUIROGA; MAURO SPAGNUOLO
Lugar:
Arizona
Reunión:
Congreso; 2022 Annual Meeting of the Planetary Geologic Mappers; 2022
Institución organizadora:
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Resumen:
The geologic history of Mars has been a large subject of debate, being the geological mapping based in geomorphological and structural analysis a key tool to propose its geologic evolution. Tharsis plateau is rich in all kinds of structural features that had pointed to a complex tectonic history from Late Noachian to Amazonian, with an extensional to a transtensional nature.Here we use data from MOLA to characterize geology, structures and propose a deformation chronology based on crosscut relationships. We also utilice JMARS and its “Explore Mars” layer to analyze the THEMIS Day IR and CTX images in order to recognize different geological units. These tools were used in a geomorphological analysis in the southern Noctis Labyrinthus, in the limit with the Syria Planum, that points to a transtensionally-deformed basin with at least 2 stages of deformation and a series of volcanic geomorphologies that modeled the martian landscape in Tharsis plateau, in the Noctis Labyrinthus area.One of the most interesting planetary-scale features corresponds to the large highlands of Tharsis plateau, whose high-elevation topography has been related both to tectonic and magmatic processes. The protracted growth of these areas had been proposed to be developed during the first quarter of Mars evolution and declining from 3 Gyrs ago. According to previous works, early Noachian rocks composed part of the basement across the Tharsis area, while eastern outcrops are located in the Noctis labyrinthus area. The Noctis labyrinthus can be recognized as a system of several linear channels spatially interrupted by chains pits and other channels connected to the eastern border with the Valles Marineris. Recent studies show that lava tubes and lava channels represent a volcanic-erosional process that controls the formations of the Noctis labyrinthus. Others studies around Noctis Labyrinthus and Noctis Fossae, have proposed extensional activity affecting Late Hesperian volcanic units, with no compressional features recognized, and some strike-slip features in the northern limit of Noctis Labyrinthus.The new cartographic analysis here presented consists in: (a) A new geologic map that improves the resolution of previous spatial definitions of geologic units defined in the area. Additionally we carried out a new crater count, using the JMARS and CraterStats software, presenting a new statistical analysis that suggests, preliminarily, a main period of late Hesperian for the geological units recognized, that goes along the same lines as that proposed by previous works. (b) On bases to cross-cutting relationship and Riedel criteria, we recognize at least two tectonically-controlled basins system: (1)A system of transtensional faults with a N-S strike characterized by sigmoidal shapes and; (2) A younger and more pronounced basin system of transtensional faults with a NW-SE to NNW-SSE strike that affects the previous system. Integrating our new photo-interpretation analysis with previous studies we present a geologic map that involves a new geologic conceptualization of the Noctis Labyrinthus, suggesting a combination of volcanic and transtensional processes, contemporaneous to a regional strain field characterized by a NE-SW extension direction during the strike-slip deformational event documented.