1. Determining Emplacement Conditions and Vent Locations for Channelized Lava Flows Southwest of Arsia Mons.
- Author
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Flynn, I. T. W., Crown, D. A., and Ramsey, M. S.
- Subjects
LAVA flows ,MARTIAN surface ,VOLCANIC fields ,EARTHFLOWS ,LASER altimeters ,VOLCANOES ,VOLCANIC eruptions - Abstract
The lava flow field southwest of Arsia Mons, Mars has complex volcanic geomorphology. Overlapping flows make observations of their total lengths and identification of their source vents impossible. Application of flow emplacement models, which rely upon physical parameters such as flow length, using only the exposed flow may produce inaccurate estimates of effusion rate, viscosity, and yield strength. We use an established terrestrial thermorheological model (PyFLOWGO), modified to Mars conditions, to estimate effusion rates, viscosities, yield strengths, and possible vent locations for five Mars flows. Our investigation found a range of effusion rates from 2,500 to 6,750 m3 s−1 (average of ∼4,960 m3 s−1). These results are an order of magnitude higher than terrestrial channelized basaltic flows. Corresponding modeled viscosities and yield strengths ranged from 9.4 × 103 to 6.6 × 105 Pa s (average of 5.5 × 104 Pa s) and 66 to 381 Pa (average of 209 Pa), respectively. A novel secondary application of PyFLOWGO that assumes upslope channel narrowing provided estimates of the entire channel length, which is on average four times longer than the exposed portions. Projecting these lengths upslope shows that four of the five flows may have a common vent location, which shares morphologic similarities to other Tharsis region vents. This modeling approach for partially‐exposed lava flows makes it possible to not only determine eruptive parameters, but also to estimate total channel lengths and thereby identify possible source vents. Plain Language Summary: Volcanism is a critical component of Mars' surface formation and evolution. Some of the most recent volcanic activity occurred southwest of Arsia Mons, a volcano in the Tharsis Volcanic Province. A major limitation for studying flows in this region and elsewhere on Mars is that the sources of these flows are not known because their upper/near‐vent parts are commonly buried. We used a novel modeling application for five flows southwest of Arsia Mons to first estimate eruption and flow parameters (e.g., flow rate and viscosity) and then, a possible vent location. We measured flow dimensions (e.g., channel width and length) to corroborate model results. Modeled flow rates are approximately 10 times higher than estimated for large flows on Earth but are within the range of prior modeling results for Mars. Lava flow properties were similar to values for flows on Earth, but lower in comparison to past studies of Mars. We also identified a potential source for four of the five flows. These results show that the observed portion of a lava flow only represents a fraction of the total flow length, and that high flow rates are necessary to produce the long flow lengths on Mars. Key Points: Lava flows in the southwest flow field of Arsia Mons are not fully exposed, which hinders emplacement modeling based solely on the observable flow dimensionsThe total channelized flow length, effusion rate, viscosity, yield strength, and potential vent location for each flow are estimated using the PyFLOWGO modelFour of the flows back‐project upslope to a potential vent location examined in detail using context camera and mars orbiting laser altimeter data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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