Geological Insights Into Mars: Olympus Mons and Valles Marineris

Abeyta – Kinnevy 1 Tearny Abeyta - Kinnevy AST 1110 October 14, 2022 Lab 7: Exploring the Geology of Mars  Volcanos 1. Locate Olympus Mons i. 2. How does Olympus Mons compare with mountains on Earth? Look at properties like shape and altitude/height. i. The Olympus Mons eruption is much larger than any volcano on Earth. The highest eruption in our solar system occurred at about the height of Arizona State. In Hawaii's shield eruption, Mauna Loa is the highest single mountain in the entire planet. The Mauna Loa is 120 km long and has a height of 10 km. Olympus Mons is 100 times larger than Mauna Loa and 624 km long and 25 km high. Contrarily, it is 100 times greater.

Abeyta – Kinnevy 2 3. Describe the shape of Olympus Mons and its neighboring volcanoes in the Tharsis Volcanic Region. What does this tell us about the type of lava that formed these mountains? What is the name for this shape/type of volcano? i. There are 12 volcanoes in the Tharsis Volcanic Area, the four tallest of which are shield volcanoes. This develops into a gigantic shield volcano, giving it the appearance of a fighter's shield that is resting on the ground. Almost all the lava from shield volcanoes is basalt, making it extremely volatile when it erupts. The shape of the streaming volcano is large rather than high due to this lava that is traveling quickly (NASA). Earth contains volcanoes, but they are not as tall as it is. The existence or absence of plate tectonics, as well as the r surface weight of Mars and higher eruption frequency, are cited as explanations for this. 4. Find Valles Marineris i. 5. What type of feature is this and what geological processes created it? How does it compare to similar features on Earth, both in size and its’ formation? Are there

Abeyta – Kinnevy 3 other features like this on Mars? If so, where are they located and how were they formed? i. The main rift valley on Mars is known as Valles Marineris and is occasionally referred to as Mariner Valley. Some scientists concur that the beginning of creation occurred 3.5 billion years ago, when volcanic anomalies started to form a canyon. Surface water was able to leave and expand the rift zones thanks to the produced rifting, which was one of the initial steps of platform tectonics. The Grand Canyon is the most well- known of the smaller rift valleys found here on Earth. In contrast, it has a width of 600 mm and a length of almost 3,000 kilometers. The Grand Canyon is 800 kilometers long, 30 kilometers wide, and only 1.8 kilometers deep. Even plate tectonics are present in several of Mars' valley features, cliffs, and volcanoes. 6. Located the Acidalia Planitia i.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Abeyta – Kinnevy 4 ii. It is structured so that oranges, reds, and whites are higher elevations with white being the highest and greens, teals, and blues are the lower elevations with blue being the lowest. What do you notice about the elevation of Mars in the northern latitudes? What about the elevation of Mars in the southern latitudes? a. Based on the Mars elevation chart, my first observation of Mars' elevation in the northern latitudes was that it is often lower there. The elevation indicates that heights are often higher in southern latitudes. The lowest portion of the map is where the majority of the red and orange are located. As well as the lower elevation shows a large portion of blue on the top. 7. Why is the elevation of the Northern Lowlands so much lower than the Southern Highlands? i. Mars's Northern and Southern Highlands are at different heights. The Northern Lowlands are believed to contain the younger region, with the Southern Highlands housing the older. The thought that the entire northern plateau will turn into an ocean of lava is now the main impact of an asteroid. As a result, a comparatively new low-lying area will be created. 8. Located Hellas Planitia i.

Abeyta – Kinnevy 5 ii. It is located in the Southern Highlands. I can to this conclusion based on the side of the equator it was on, which was easily determined after zooming out on the map and it is on the lower hemisphere. 9. What about Hellas Planitia makes it stand out from other features in this region? i. What immediately made it stand out, when looking at it in Mars Trek, was the change of shade in color. Like in the photo above, it appears to have a different shade which makes it appear bigger when observing it. 10. How do we know this is one of the oldest surfaces on Mars? i. Hellas Planitia, a sizable crater, is believed to have endured the Noachian era. During the Noachian Period, there were a number of craters, and as time went on the planet, these regions were revived. Events that took place on the Martian surface do not entirely reemerge despite Hellas Planitia's depth. Loss is an observable sign of time that occurs with depression.  Geological Processes 11. From your brief survey, what are the primary geological processes that shaped the surface of Mars that we now see? List each process and give an example of a

Abeyta – Kinnevy 6 feature found on Mars that applies. Is there any evidence for tectonic activity or volcanism today (make sure to do some research on this)? How is the geology of Mars different from the geology on Earth (give specific examples)? i. The three main geological processes that sculpted Mars, in my opinion, were cratering, volcanism, and surface tectonics. Other characteristics, like lava chains and river rifts, notably the Mariner Ridge, are the result of ground tectonics. Massive volcanoes like Olympus Mons and the development of new surfaces in the north-lowlands are examples of how volcanism has shaped the Martian world's geography. The majority of the landscape we see now has been significantly impacted by creating, including the possibly significant effect that may have helped shape the current environment in the northern hemisphere. Both volcanism and plate tectonics, which no longer appear to be active, were important in the formation of Mars' surface.  Selecting Landing sites on Mars 12. Where would you locate the next Lander mission on Mars and why? State the named region/area, but then look inside that region for a specific location or smaller area, like dried riverbed, close set of craters, single volcano, part of a canyon, etc. When you have the location displayed in Mars Trek, place your mouse in the center of your site and state the latitude/longitude shown at the bottom right of the screen.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Abeyta – Kinnevy 7 i. Here are images I screenshot of the specific location in which I would plan to land as well as a view of the region itself to get an idea. The yellow dot is where we would be landing.

Abeyta – Kinnevy 8

Abeyta – Kinnevy 9 ii. The location where I would locate the next Lander mission would be toward the southern end of the Olympic Fossae. More Specifically in the paterae known as Biblis Patera. Located at Lat 2.3558 ° longitude – 123.8177°, which is also shown in the image above. I chose this location because of the geographical features located near the paterae. It is located on the volcanic plains of Olympus, along the Tharsis Montes, which is home to multiple large troughs, and toward the south of the Olympica Fossae is a channel running through the plains. I thought this would be a good place to land based on the proximity to all these features that could lead to more scientific discoveries. 13. What are some of the geological features at your selected landing site? (Include what geological process formed them.) i. Olympus Mons (Volcano) 1. Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the Tharsis Montes area and among all those that are known to exist in the solar system.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Abeyta – Kinnevy 10 Olympus Mons is a shield volcano that is 624 km (374 mi) in diameter, 25 km (16 mi) high, and has a scarp that is 6 km (4 mi) high around its perimeter. The scale of the volcanoes on Mars and Earth is the fundamental distinction between the two; those in the Tharsis area of Mars are 10 to 100 times bigger than any volcano on Earth. Because of the higher eruption rates and lower surface gravity, the lava flows on the Martian surface are seen to be much longer. During the formation of shield volcanoes like Olympus Mons, lava slowly seeps from the earth and spreads out, giving the structure a low, squat aspect. Olympus Mons is particularly amazing because shield volcanoes typically have a slope of only 5%. The low gravity, slowly moving tectonic plates, and intense volcanic activity on Mars are thought to be the reasons why Olympus Mons came to be so much greater than any volcano on Earth. Considering its geologic age, which is only a few million years, Olympus Mons is still considered to be a relatively youthful volcano. In spite of this, there's a significant probability it's still active and might erupt at any time. ii. Tharsis Montes (Moutain Range) 1. On Mars, the greatest volcanic zone is Tharsis Montes. It is around 4,000 km broad, 10 km tall, and has 12 sizable volcanoes. Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, Arsia Mons, and Olympus Mons are the four shield volcanoes in the Tharsis region that are the

Abeyta – Kinnevy 11 largest. The greatest of the Tharsis volcanoes, Olympus Mons, is situated on the crest of the crustal bulge, and the summits of the Tharsis Montes are roughly equal in height to it. iii. Olympica Fossae (Channel) 1. Between Alba Mons and Olympus Mons, in the volcanic plains, lies a complicated canal known as Olympica Fossae. The broad, sinuous channel in the middle of the photograph reveals that liquid flow is what formed it. The location and other surface characteristics in this case indicate that lava, not water, is the liquid. Tectonic features called graben, which are created by movement along fault lines, may be the more linear depressions in the bottom third of the image. The collapse of the volcano caused widespread faulting to emerge in the Alba Mons region. 14. Give one strong scientific justification for your choice of landing site. i. There could be a few different scientific studies that we can do at this location. This would be a good scientific location to be able to study the result of the inactive volcanos on mars. Volcanoes are currently not active on Mars today. Since the planet's outer crust is too thick to allow molten rock from deep below to reach the surface, most of the heat that was once trapped inside the planet when it formed has been lost. But long ago, huge volcanoes and mounds of dense ash were created by eruptions. Volcanoes undoubtedly had something to do with the melting of the ice deposits that caused the water to flood the surface. However, by landing here we can

Abeyta – Kinnevy 12 discover why this happened. We can concentrate mostly on why and how mars came to be what we see today. Studying the dense ash and the volcano itself into what caused it to function differently than what occurs on earth. Then expand further how this impacted the surrounding area, such as the Olympica Fossae (Channel) that showed evidence of erosion. Assumed to be by lava from the depressions. However, if landing there we can do tests to prove this theory. In order to begin to understand why there is not life on mars. 15. Explain how your choice would further our understanding of the planet, what kind of tests would you run? (Be sure to include any references you used with citations.) i. My choice would further our understanding of the planet by testing what has been theorized about mars. By landing close enough to take samples and test them in order to come to solid conclusions. I would run tests on the Olympica Fossae (Channel) to see what caused the erosion. I would run tests on the dense ash and collect samples in an attempt to narrow down the reason behind the eruptions. I would start with small conclusions such as these and work my way toward the bigger questions. As to why there is no water left on mars and if there was ever life. Works Cited Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Planetary names. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3444

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Abeyta – Kinnevy 13 Mars volcanoes. Mars Volcanoes | Exploring the Planets | National Air and Space Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/exploring- the-planets/online/solar-system/mars/surface/volcanoes/#:~:text=Mars%20today%20has %20no%20active,below%20to%20reach%20the%20surface . Mooney, M. (2020, September 30). Olympus Mons: The biggest hotspot in the solar system " Lowell observatory. Lowell Observatory. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://lowell.edu/olympus-mons-the-biggest-hotspot-in-the-solar-system/ NASA. (n.d.). Mars exploration: Multimedia. NASA. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/gallery/atlas/index.html NASA. (n.d.). Mars exploration: OLYMPUS MONS. NASA. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/gallery/atlas/olympus-mons.html NASA. (n.d.). Mars exploration: THARSIS MONTES. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/gallery/atlas/tharsis-montes.html NASA. (n.d.). Mars trek. NASA. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://trek.nasa.gov/mars/#v=0.1&x=0&y=0&z=1&p=urn%3Aogc%3Adef%3Acrs %3AEPSG%3A%3A104905&d=&locale=&b=mars&e=-269.999994963537%2C- 139.57030989651588%2C269.999994963537%2C139.57030989651588&sfz=&w= NASA. (n.d.). Olympica Fossae – NASA mars exploration. NASA. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/21580/olympica-fossae/ Phys.Org. (2006). Lava Tubes on Pavonis Mons. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2006- 05lava-tubes-pavonis-mons.html Space.com Staff. (2018). Mars Surface Made of Shifting Plates Like Earth, Study Suggests.

Abeyta – Kinnevy 14 Retrieved from https://www.space.com/17087-mars-surface-marsquakes-plate- tectonics.html Wall, M. (2018). Mars Cave-Exploration Mission Entices Scientists. Space.com. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/18546-mars-caves-sample-return-mission.htm

Exploring Mars Lab

Related Documents