33 Mineralogy/Crystallography, Petrology, and Geochemistry

Added due to amount of discipline submissions.

Tuesday, 10 March 2026
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
RCC, 104

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL AND PETROGENETIC ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE FEATURES ON MARS USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES

Paper number: 33-0
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 4:00 PM – 4:15 PM

Authors

Abstract

Mars has a complex geological history, particularly in the regions of Nili Fossae, Valles Marineris, and Sinus Meridiani, that provides critical insights into the past. This study focuses on the creation of a geodatabase to analyze the geomorphology of various regions across the surface of Mars, alongside the spatial distribution of key minerals for petrogenesis, such as olivine, hematite, and pyroxene. We constructed a geodatabase using MOLA DEMs, TES global mineral abundance maps, CTX mosaics, and spectral data from the Mars Global Surveyor. Using ArcGIS Pro and JMars, we mapped variations in high-resolution visible and near-infrared spectral imagery. Surface analyses included topographic profiling, mapping surface features, and surface modeling with slope, aspect, and flow direction. Preliminary results suggest outflows containing olivine compose the abundant mineralogy of Nili Fossae within the basement of the graben in a prominent fault zone and impact craters. In the Sinus Meridiani region, a large deposit of hematite is present with an association of olivine, which signifies an evident relationship between the two minerals. Within Valles Marineris, hematite, olivine, plagioclase, and high-Ca pyroxene are detected within the walls of the canyon. When comparing crustal thickness maps and the flow direction of mineral occurrences for Valles Marineris, we suggest that volcanic activity might have been deeply sourced, further connecting to the dichotomy of crustal thickness. Across the southern hemisphere of Mars, the abundance of high-Ca pyroxene and plagioclase is also correlated with crustal dichotomy to suggest a deeper source for such mineralogy. Using the geodatabase to assess the geomorphology with the distribution of mineralogy is expected to further support a correlation to the paragenesis of minerals on Mars.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411518

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