UNRAVELING THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL HISTORIES OF THE TERRA SIRENUM REGION, MARS

Structural mapping is vital to unraveling the geologic histories at local to global scales on Earth and Mars. For example, maps delineating structures of various ages can be used to characterize potential stress sources, strain magnitudes and fault history, and pre-existing structural controls that may relate to episodes of local or regional tectonism. For Mars, the formation of the Tharsis rise dominated the geologic and tectonic histories. Terra Sirenum region is an area that was heavily affected by the formation of Tharsis rise. This region is located on the southwestern flanks of the Tharsis and is centered at 39.7°S and 210°E. Due to its location, this region holds a significant key to improving our understanding of the timing of the major fault systems associated with the formation of the Tharsis rise. Five major fault systems are associated with the southern region of Tharsis. Of these five major fault systems, three have been identified within the Terra Sirenum region: Memnonia Fossae, Sirenum Fossae, and Icaria Fossae. Detailed examination of these structures within this region provides an excellent window into identifying the tectonic processes that influenced the geologic evolution of the western hemisphere region. In this meeting, we plan on presenting our preliminary 1:5,000,000-scale geologic map of the Terra Sirenum region of Mars, displaying the complex, cross-cutting relationship among several of the fault systems.