4:00 PM - 4:15 PM
[MIS16-03] Volcanic activity in Central Elysium Planitia, Mars inferred from topography and spatial distribution of low shields
Keywords:Mars, low shield, mantle plume, Central Elysium Planitia, Cerberus Fossae
Central Elysium Planitia (hereafter, CEP), Mars has been suggested to have a subsurface mantle plume based on multiple orbital observations (Broquet and Andrews-Hanna, 2023). The possible existence of an active mantle plume and the young surface age make CEP an extremely important region for constraining volcanism/magmatism during the Amazonian. The main part of CEP lava plains, possibly originating from the proposed mantle plume, consists of lava that erupted from Cerberus Fossae. The other parts are covered by lava from low shields (hereafter, LS). The resolution of the volcanic activity history in the CEP can be improved by investigating the 44 observed LSs.
Most of the vents of CEP LS show anisotropic shapes, and their major axis direction may have been affected by the regional stress field. In this region, LSs are mainly distributed along Cerberus Fossae, which extends east-west through CEP, however, some LSs show a north-south trend in south of Cerberus Fossae. The LS distribution may represent dike swarms lengthening from the mantle plume.
In this study, we analyzed the topography and the spatial distribution of 44 LSs found in CEP. We estimated the formation age of each LS using crater chronology. Stress fields are derived from Broquet & Andrews-Hanna (2023). In this presentation, we will show these results and especial focus on the relationship between the major axis direction of LS vents and the stress field.
Most of the vents of CEP LS show anisotropic shapes, and their major axis direction may have been affected by the regional stress field. In this region, LSs are mainly distributed along Cerberus Fossae, which extends east-west through CEP, however, some LSs show a north-south trend in south of Cerberus Fossae. The LS distribution may represent dike swarms lengthening from the mantle plume.
In this study, we analyzed the topography and the spatial distribution of 44 LSs found in CEP. We estimated the formation age of each LS using crater chronology. Stress fields are derived from Broquet & Andrews-Hanna (2023). In this presentation, we will show these results and especial focus on the relationship between the major axis direction of LS vents and the stress field.