east melas chasma: insight into valles marineris
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S. East Melas Chasma: Insight into Valles Marineris. Matt Chojnacki & Brian Hynek Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics @ the University of Colorado. Hebes Chasma. Ganges Chasma. Ophir Chasma. Candor Chasma. Melas Chasma. Corprates Chasma. EMC Landing Site Motivation. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
East Melas Chasma: East Melas Chasma: Insight into Valles Insight into Valles
MarinerisMarineris
Matt Chojnacki & Brian HynekMatt Chojnacki & Brian Hynek
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsPhysics @ the University of Colorado @ the University of Colorado
SS
Ophir Chasma
Hebes Chasma
Candor Chasma
Melas Chasma
Ganges Chasma
Corprates Chasma
EMC EDL Site CharacteristicsEMC EDL Site CharacteristicsEMC Landing Site MotivationEMC Landing Site Motivation• Insight into to aqueously altered Interior Insight into to aqueously altered Interior
layered deposits (ILDs)layered deposits (ILDs)• Light and dark-toned VM floor material Light and dark-toned VM floor material
associated with topographic lows (associated with topographic lows (standing standing water? layered floorwater? layered floor?)?)
• Possible inverted fluvial featuresPossible inverted fluvial features• Excavated floor material from nearby ~2km Excavated floor material from nearby ~2km
crater crater • Nearby wall material lending clues to Nearby wall material lending clues to
stratigraphy of the upper cruststratigraphy of the upper crust• Atmospheric observationsAtmospheric observations
• 20km ellipse centered on 290.45°E -11.62°N 20km ellipse centered on 290.45°E -11.62°N • Mean elevation= -5829 mMean elevation= -5829 m
• Alternative ellipses ~22km W and ~21km SE Alternative ellipses ~22km W and ~21km SE
0.13<0.25albedo
244 J m-2 s-0.5 K-1 >100 J m-2 s-0.5 K-1TES thermal inertia
Load bearing surface
Relatively low albedo and high thermal inertia imply radar reflective surface.
Ka band reflective and >0.01
Radar reflectivity
At altitudes of 0 to 10 km above the surface [1]≤ 10m/sSteady state vertical
Average of 18m/s over 3 sols (8am-8pm local time) [1]
≤ 30m/sSteady state horizontal
Winds
12.1%~10%Rock abundance (IRTM)
MOC NA shows relatively smooth surface free of aeolian features
≤ 15°5m length scale
THEMIS VIS/MOC NA show a smooth unmantled surface
≤ 15°20 to 40m length scale
0.3°/0.8°0.36°/1.0°0.39°/0.9°0.42°/1.45°
5km4km3km2km (avg/max)
≤ 3°2 to 5km length scaleSlopes
EMC Candidate Landing SiteRequirementEngineering Parameter
Table 1: Summary of engineering requirements
[1] Rafkin, S. (2004) unpublished data.
20 km
M2001176
V08679002
M1300309
V16641003
0.7 km
2.9 km
14 km
E2300516E2300516
Poly-hydrated Sulfates as detected by OMEGAPoly-hydrated Sulfates as detected by OMEGA
3 km
500 m
Summary for EMCSummary for EMC EDL, trafficability & PP look good and EDL, trafficability & PP look good and
have flexibilityhave flexibility Help determine the Valles Marineris Help determine the Valles Marineris
water history present and pastwater history present and past Interior layered deposits and Interior layered deposits and
hydrated minerals hydrated minerals At -5km a large atmospheric column At -5km a large atmospheric column
& radiation environment to observe& radiation environment to observe Amazing observations of Mars that Amazing observations of Mars that
will inspire future scientist/explorerswill inspire future scientist/explorers
Matt Golombek’s “Keys” Matt Golombek’s “Keys” to being a high priority to being a high priority MSL landing sightMSL landing sight
Layered Layered Sedimentary RocksSedimentary Rocks
Outcrops, No Floats Outcrops, No Floats No/Little DustNo/Little Dust Low Energy Low Energy
Depositional Depositional Sedimentary FaciesSedimentary Facies
XX Interior Layered Interior Layered DepositsDeposits
X X X X ~0.96 ~0.96 TES TES
Dust IndexDust Index
XX Poly-hydrated Poly-hydrated SulfatesSulfates
East Melas Chasma
ReferencesReferences Gendrin, A., et al., (2005), Sulfates in Martian Layered Gendrin, A., et al., (2005), Sulfates in Martian Layered
Terrains: The OMEGA/Mars Express View, Terrains: The OMEGA/Mars Express View, ScienceScience, , 307307, , 1587-1591.1587-1591.
Lucchitta, K.B., Geologic Map of Ophir and Central Candor Lucchitta, K.B., Geologic Map of Ophir and Central Candor Chasmata (MTM-05072) of Mars, U.S. Geologic Survey., Chasmata (MTM-05072) of Mars, U.S. Geologic Survey., MAP I-2568, 1999.MAP I-2568, 1999.
Quantin, C., P et al., (2005), Sulfate Deposits identified by Quantin, C., P et al., (2005), Sulfate Deposits identified by OMEGA in Melas Chasma, OMEGA in Melas Chasma, Lunar Planet. SciLunar Planet. Sci., ., XXXVIXXXVI, , Abstract 1789.Abstract 1789.
Rafkin S. C., (2004) Rafkin S. C., (2004) unpublished data.unpublished data. Ruff, S. and P. Christensen, (2003), A SPECTRALLY-BASED Ruff, S. and P. Christensen, (2003), A SPECTRALLY-BASED
GLOBAL DUST COVER INDEX FOR MARS FROM THERMAL GLOBAL DUST COVER INDEX FOR MARS FROM THERMAL EMISSION SPECTROMETER DATA., First Landing Site EMISSION SPECTROMETER DATA., First Landing Site Workshop for MER 2003, Abstract 9026.Workshop for MER 2003, Abstract 9026.
Witbeck, N. E., K. L. Tanaka, and D. H. Scott (1991), Witbeck, N. E., K. L. Tanaka, and D. H. Scott (1991), Geologic Map of the Valles Marineris region, Mars, Geologic Map of the Valles Marineris region, Mars, MAP I-MAP I-20102010, U.S. Geologic Survey., U.S. Geologic Survey.