Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (University of Texas Digital Repository, viewed on Aug. 6, 2009). Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The localized loss of near-surface excess ice on Mars by sublimation (and perhaps melting) can produce thermokarstic collapse features such as expanded craters and scalloped depressions, which can be indicators of the preservation of shallow ice. We demonstrate this by identifying High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment images containing expanded craters south of Arcadia Planitia (25-40 degrees N) and observe a spatial correlation between regions with thermokarst and the lowest-latitude ice-exposing impact craters identified to date. In addition to widespread thermokarst north of 35 degrees N, we observe localized thermokarst features that we interpret as patchy ice as far south as 25 degrees N. Few ice-exposing craters have been identified in the southern hemisphere of Mars since they are easier to find in dusty, high-albedo regions, but the relationship among expanded craters, ice-exposing impacts, and the predicted ice table boundary in Arcadia Planitia allows us to extend this thermokarst survey into the southern midlatitudes (30-60 degrees S) to infer the presence of ice today. Our observations suggest that the southern hemisphere excess ice boundary lies at 45 degrees S regionally. At lower latitudes, some isolated terrains (e.g., crater fill and pole-facing slopes) also contain thermokarst, suggesting local ice preservation. We look for spatial relationships between our results and surface properties (e.g., slope and neutron spectrometer water ice concentration) and ice table models to understand the observed ice distribution. Our results show trends with thermal inertia and dust cover and are broadly consistent with ice deposition during a period with a higher relative humidity than today. Shallow, lower-latitude ice deposits are of interest for future exploration.

Understanding the age and distribution of shallow ice on Mars is valuable for interpreting past and present climate conditions, and has implications on habitability and future in situ resource utilization. Many ice-related features, such as lobate debris aprons and concentric crater fill, have been studied using a range of remote sensing techniques. Here, I explore the distribution of expanded craters, a form of sublimation thermokarst where shallow, excess ice has been destabilized and sublimated following an impact event. This leads to the collapse of the overlying dry regolith to produce the appearance of diameter widening. The modern presence of these features suggests that excess ice has remained preserved in the terrain immediately surrounding the craters since the time of their formation in order to maintain the surface. High-resolution imagery is ideal for observing thermokarst features, and much of the work described here will utilize data from the Context Camera (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Expanded craters tend to be found in clusters that emanate radially from at least four primary craters in Arcadia Planitia, and are interpreted as secondary craters that formed nearly simultaneously with their primaries. Crater age dates of the primaries indicate that the expanded secondaries, as well as the ice layer into which they impacted, must be at least tens of millions of years old. Older double-layer ejecta craters in Arcadia Planitia commonly have expanded craters superposed on their ejecta – and they tend to be more expanded (with larger diameters) in the inner ejecta layer. This has implications on the formation mechanisms for craters with this unique ejecta morphology. Finally, I explore the distribution of expanded craters south of Arcadia Planitia and across the southern mid-latitudes, along with scalloped depressions (another form of sublimation thermokarst), in order to identify the modern excess ice boundary in this region and any longitudinal variations. This study identifies some potential low-latitude locations with patchy excess ice, possibly preserved during a past climate. Through these studies, I will infer regions that contain abundant ice today and consider the implications that this ice has on both the martian climate and future exploration.

The addition of buried impact structures to the known database of surface structures is key to a complete understanding of the geologic history of Mars because it allows for a more precise calculation of crustal age. Also, because these buried structures record an impact event and a resurfacing event they can be used to clearly define crustal versus surface ages. This study used topographic data and a crustal thickness model to identify buried and visible impact structures. This process was repeated twice and then correlated to create a global database of impact structures greater than 200 km. During the study confidence factor protocol was developed based on [1] ratio of crater diameter to relief and [2] percentage of rim present. This criteria was applied to each visible and buried structure. The comparison of visible and buried impact structures provides constraints on the timing of resurfacing events. Cumulative and N(300) values were calculated to derive the relative crustal ages in major geologic provinces. It was found that [1] the Martian lowlands and highlands have similar crustal ages when combining the visible and buried impact structures, [2] Tharsis is younger than these two regions, [3] the lowlands appear to have been thinned before or during the Late Heavy Bombardment (LBH), and [4] the resurfacing of the lowlands must have happened at the same time or shortly after the rise of the Tharsis bulge. / Geology

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-104). Also available on the World Wide Web.

No description available.

The various origins proposed for intercrater plains on Mercury and the Moon lead to divergent thermal, tectonic, and bombardment histories. Relative ages of geologic units and structures place tight constraints on their origin and on the planet's geologic history. Crater statistics, lunar geologic map analysis, and geologic mapping of a quarter of Mercury's surface based on plains units dated relative to crater degradation classes were used to determine relative ages. Such studies provided the basis for deducing the origin of intercrater plains and their role in terrestrial planet evolution. Mercury's extensive intercrater plains span a range of ages contemporaneous with the period of heavy bombardment. Most intercrater plains predate scarp formation and the formation of the hilly and lineated terrain. The age of the latter is identical to that of its probable progenitor, the Caloris basin impact. Post-Caloris plains--smoother in texture, less extensive, and confined to crater depressions--formed as cratering waned and scarp formation progressed. This research indicates that mercurian intercrater plains are volcanic deposits interbedded with ballistically emplaced ejecta and reworked by basin secondaries and smaller impacts. A greater proportion of ejecta may comprise lunar intercrater plains. Neither the lunar nor mercurian intercrater surface is primordial because each preserves pre-plains crateriforms. Ancient volcanism on Mercury is evidenced by widespread plains distribution, structurally controlled deposition, embayment of craters and basins, associated (but tentative) volcanic landforms, losses of small craters, and uncorrelated plains and crater coverage. The limited range of mercurian ejecta reduces the resurfacing potential relative to that of lunar craters. Crater densities are affected by intercrater plains emplacement, additions of secondaries, ancient basin impacts, and target physical properties. "One-plate" thermo-tectonic models best explain the geologic characteristics recognized in this study. Thermal expansion during core formation causes global extension and widespread volcanic extrusions; subsequent cooling and radial contraction form compressional scarps. Younger plains-forming materials issue from magma reservoirs in subsurface tensional zones tapped by impact fractures. The age and stress environment of these volcanic plains suggest a source greater than 40 km depth and a composition different from that of the intercrater plains.

New, dated impacts discovered on Mars and the Moon provide direct observations of modern bombardment in the inner Solar System and the freshest available examples of recent craters. Their population, morphology, formation and modification processes relate to issues with secondaries and help calibrate cratering chronology models. I use a subset of the new impacts to measure the current production function at Mars. The resulting production function is a factor of approximately four lower than widely-used models, and the size frequency distribution has a shallower slope. This discrepancy between the measured current impact flux and model predictions could be due to many issues, so craters <~50m diameter should not be used for crater age dating unless the uncertainties are understood. I find that these new martian craters are only slightly deeper on average than the expected depth/diameter ratio (d/D) of ~0.2 for simple primaries; the majority would not be mistaken for secondaries based on d/D. A wide spread in d/D indicates that impact conditions or target properties might influence final crater morphologies at these sizes. Extended low-albedo features surround these new craters, presumed to have formed when the impact blast disturbed a surface coating of high-albedo dust, exposing a darker substrate. Some of these features changed drastically over a few Mars years, however, half of the sites show no changes at all. Estimated fading lifetimes cluster around ~7 Mars years. Controls on the amount and rates of fading have yet to be determined. These results show that the current impact production function is not under-sampling new impacts due to fading prior to detection. New craters have also been discovered on the Moon, using similar techniques. Five new impact craters were found that formed within the last ~40 years. Conclusions are unreliable with only these scant statistics, but preliminary comparisons indicate they follow the expected size frequency distribution predicted by the Neukum [1983; Neukum et al., 2001] production function and chronology. This also leads to a very preliminary measurement of the current Moon/Mars cratering ratio at a single diameter, which falls below models by only a factor of approximately six.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2007. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

abstract: Many shallow craters near the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover landing site contain asymmetric deposits of windblown sediments which could indicate the predominant local wind direction at the time of deposition or redistribution. Wind tunnel simulations and field studies of terrestrial craters were used to determine trends in deposition as a function of crater morphometry and wind direction. Terrestrial analog field work at the Amboy lava field, Mojave Desert, California, included real-time wind measurements and assessments of active sediment deposition in four small (<100 m) craters. Preliminary results indicate that reverse flow or stagnant wind and deposition on the upwind side of the crater floor occurs in craters with depth-to-diameter (d/D) ratios &ge;0.05. Measurements taken within a crater of d/D of ~0.02 do not indicate reverse flow. Therefore, reverse flow is expected to cease within a d/D range of 0.02 to 0.05, resulting in wind movement directly over the crater floor in the downwind direction with no asymmetric sediment deposition. Wind tunnel simulations using six crater models, including a scaled model of a crater from the Amboy lava field, were completed to assess the wind flow in and around craters as a function of crater morphometry (depth, diameter). Reverse flow occurred in craters with d/D ratios &ge;0.033, resulting in sediment deposition in the upwind portion of the crater floor. Visual observations of a crater with a d/D of ~0.020 did not indicate reverse flow, similar to the results of field studies; therefore, reverse flow appears to cease within a d/D range of 0.020 to 0.033. Craters with asymmetric aeolian deposits near the Mars Spirit landing site have d/D ratios of 0.034 to 0.076, suggesting that reverse flow occurs in these craters. Thus, the position of windblown sediments in the northwest parts of the crater floors would indicate prevailing winds from the northwest to the southeast, consistent with late afternoon winds as predicted by the Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS) circulation model. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Geological Sciences 2011