Search

This study will characterize basin-forming processes and sediment provenance within southwestern Melas Chasma, and place the Melas basin into a broader geologic, structural, and stratigraphic context within the Valles Marineris canyon system. Although the Valles Marineris system has been studied with a variety of datasets over the past several decades, modern datasets afford a renewed look into these deposits and how they fit together in space and time. This work investigates the character of plateau, wall, and floor units and their relative contributions to the Melas basin, and places localized observations into a broader context for comparison to other similar regions within the Valles Marineris system. Efforts are underway to produce a regional geologic map at a scale of 1:150,000, as well as 9 local geologic maps at a scale of 1:15,000. Linework for the regional map is complete and a first draft of a geologic map has been prepared and is in revision (Figure 1). The regional mapping is on track to submit the map package for a USGS Scientific Investigation Map (SIM) by the end of this fiscal year. Mapping is underway at all 9 reference sections to capture the diversity of geologic features across the Melas basin. Preliminary results suggest that similar geologic units can be found throughout the Melas basin, northwestern sub-basin, and parts of Melas Chasma, which suggests similar emplacement processes for some of the oldest geologic units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study will characterize basin-forming processes and sediment provenance within southwestern Melas Chasma, and place the Melas basin into a broader geologic, structural, and stratigraphic context within the Valles Marineris canyon system. Although the Valles Marineris system has been studied with a variety of datasets over the past several decades, modern datasets afford a renewed look into these deposits and how they fit together in space and time. This work investigates the character of plateau, wall, and floor units and their relative contributions to the Melas basin, and places localized observations into a broader context for comparison to other similar regions within the Valles Marineris system. Efforts are underway to produce a regional geologic map at a scale of 1:150,000, as well as 9 local geologic maps at a scale of 1:15,000. Linework for the regional map is complete and a first draft of a geologic map has been prepared and is in revision (Figure 1). The regional mapping is on track to submit the map package for a USGS Scientific Investigation Map (SIM) by the end of this fiscal year. Mapping is underway at all 9 reference sections to capture the diversity of geologic features across the Melas basin. Preliminary results suggest that similar geologic units can be found throughout the Melas basin, northwestern sub-basin, and parts of Melas Chasma, which suggests similar emplacement processes for some of the oldest geologic units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perseverance's Mastcam-Z instrument provides high-resolution stereo and multispectral images with a unique combination of spatial resolution, spatial coverage, and wavelength coverage along the rover's traverse in Jezero crater, Mars. Images reveal rocks consistent with an igneous (including volcanic and/or volcaniclastic) and/or impactite origin and limited aqueous alteration, including polygonally fractured rocks with weathered coatings; massive boulder-forming bedrock consisting of mafic silicates, ferric oxides, and/or iron-bearing alteration minerals; and coarsely layered outcrops dominated by olivine. Pyroxene dominates the iron-bearing mineralogy in the fine-grained regolith, while olivine dominates the coarse-grained regolith. Solar and atmospheric imaging observations show significant intra- and intersol variations in dust optical depth and water ice clouds, as well as unique examples of boundary layer vortex action from both natural (dust devil) and Ingenuity helicopter-induced dust lifting. High-resolution stereo imaging also provides geologic context for rover operations, other instrument observations, and sample selection, characterization, and confirmation.