Evidence, Age, and Thickness of a Frozen Paleolake in Utopia Planitia, Mars

Icarus
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Abstract

Recent mapping studies west of Elysium Mons, Mars, have pinpointed subice features that suggest the existence of a frozen paleolake in Utopia Planitia as recently as 1.8 billion years ago. The subice features are interpreted to be hyaloclastic ridges and hills, table mountains, associated jo??kulhlaup deposits, and fluvial channels. Photoclinometric studies of these features and of a basal scarp around the northwest flank of Elysium Mons interpreted to have been an ice-sheet boundary indicate that the maximum thickness of ice within the basin may have been about 180 m. This thickness of ice during a relatively late stage of Martian geologic history would have important implications concerning the atmospheric, the climatic, and possibly the exobiologic history of the planet. ?? 1994 Academic Press. All rights reserved.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Evidence, Age, and Thickness of a Frozen Paleolake in Utopia Planitia, Mars
Series title Icarus
DOI 10.1006/icar.1994.1102
Volume 109
Issue 2
Year Published 1994
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Icarus
First page 393
Last page 406
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