The formation history of Olympus Mons from paleo-topography

The formation of the volcano Olympus Mons, is linked directly to the geodynamic history of both Tharsis, and Mars as a whole. We sought to constrain the bulk formation period using paleo-topographic evidence. On the northeastern edge of the flexural trough, we located a lava flow whose path is radically discordant with current down-slope directions, indicating entrenchment prior to large-scale flexural trough formation. To constrain the end of bulk formation, we used the aureole deposits that surround the flanks of Olympus Mons, and were a consequence of crustal fracture under the weight of Olympus. Applying crater retention age dating to images from THEMIS VIS and THEMIS IR, we proposed the bulk formation of Olympus Mons occurred between 3.67 -010+005 Ga and 3.53-0.28+0 09 Ga.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Jozwiak, Lauren M

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Linda Elkins-Tanton.

• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114367

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/114367