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[1] Rafkin, S. (2004) unpublished data.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.