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Rogers et al. 2005
Rogers, A.D., Christensen, P.R. and Bandfield, J.L. (2005). Compositional heterogeneity of the ancient Martian crust: Analysis of Ares Vallis bedrock with THEMIS and TES data. Journal of Geophysical Research 110: doi: 10.1029/2005JE002399. issn: 0148-0227.

THEMIS multispectral and thermophysical information combined with TES hyperspectral and albedo data is used as a powerful high spectral/spatial resolution tool to investigate the mineralogic heterogeneity of ancient Martian crust exposed in Ares Vallis bedrock. Three major spectral units are present in the upper Ares Vallis region: (1) a regional unit that is composed primarily of a high-silica (Si/O > ~0.35) component, with lesser amounts of plagioclase and pyroxene, and is associated with channel wall rock and surrounding plains; (2) a pyroxene- and olivine-rich rock unit exposed as a ~250 m thick contiguous layer in the wall rock of Ares Vallis, as well as in isolated exposures in the plains outside of the channel; and (3) a unit composed of plagioclase, pyroxene, and lesser high-silica component(s) (Si/O > ~0.35) that primarily occurs as low-albedo sand. The spatial and stratigraphic distribution of these units suggests that the pyroxene- and olivine-enriched unit may be extrusive and/or intrusive in origin, indicating that this region experienced either a single stage or repeated episodes of olivine-enriched magmatism during the first 1.5 Gyr of crust formation. This olivine enrichment may have been caused by a larger degree of mantle partial melting, facilitated by higher mantle temperature, melting from a more depleted mantle source, and/or less olivine fractionation relative to regional rock parent magmas. The olivine-rich unit is similar in thermophysical character to previously published olivine-bearing terrains on Mars, but the derived modal mineralogy consists of >~20% more pyroxene and less plagioclase than those terrains.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Planetary Sciences, Solar System Objects, Mars, Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Composition (1060, 3672), Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Surface materials and properties, Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Remote sensing, Mineralogy and Petrology, Planetary mineralogy and petrology, bedrock, Mars, olivine basalt
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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