The global martian volcanic evolutionary history

Abstract

Viking mission image data revealed the total spatial extent of preserved volcanic surface on Mars. One of the dominating surface expressions is Olympus Mons and the surrounding volcanic province Tharsis. Earlier studies of the global volcanic sequence of events based on stratigraphic relationships and crater count statistics were limited to the image resolution of the Viking orbiter camera. Here, a global investigation based on high-resolution image data gathered by the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) during the first years of Mars Express orbiting around Mars is presented. Additionally, Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) and Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) images were used for more detailed and complementary information. The results reveal global volcanism during the Noachian period ( > 3.7 Ga ) followed by more focused vent volcanism in three (Tharsis, Elysium, and Circum-Hellas) and later two (Tharsis and Elysium) volcanic provinces. Finally, the volcanic activity became localized to the Tharsis region (about 1.6 Ga ago), where volcanism was active until very recently (200–100 Ma). These age results were expected from radiometric dating of martian meteorites but now verified for extended geological units, mainly found in the Tharsis Montes surroundings, showing prolonged volcanism for more than 3.5 billions years. The volcanic activity on Mars appears episodic, but decaying in intensity and localizing in space. The spatial and temporal extent of martian volcanism based on crater count statistics now provides a much better database for modelling the thermodynamic evolution of Mars.