chaos formation by sublimation of volatile-rich substrate.pdfVIP

Icarus 211 (2011) 316–329 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Icarus journal homepage: /locate/icarus Chaos formation by sublimation of volatile-rich substrate: Evidence from Galaxias Chaos, Mars G.B.M. Pedersen a,⇑, J.W. Head III b a Department of Earth Sciences, University of Aarhus, Hoegh-Guldberggade 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark b Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, 324 Brook Street, Box 1846, Providence, RI 02912, USA a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Article history: Galaxias Chaos deviates significantly from other chaotic regions due to the lack of associated outflow Received 1 May 2010 channels, lack of big elevation differences between the chaos and the surrounding terrain and due to Revised 12 August 2010 gradual trough formation. Accepted 3 September 2010 A sequence of troughs in different stages is observed, and examples of closed troughs within blocks Available online 16 September 2010 suggest that the trough formation is governed by a local stress field rather than a regional stress field. Moreover, geomorphic evidence suggests that Galaxias Chaos is capped by Elysium lavas, which super- Keyword: pose an unstable subsurface layer that causes chaotic tilting of blocks and trough formation. Mars Galaxias Chaos Based on regional mapping we suggest a formation model, where Vastitas Borealis Formation e