FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE SUMMIT REGION OF ALBUS MONS, MARS

Albus Mons, Mars (40°N, 250°E) is a unique volcano at the northern edge of the Tharsis region, notable for its low relief (~6 km), its large basal diameter (>1000 km), and extensive graben that crosscut its flanks. Within the region defined by the cross-cutting graben, Albus Mons’ summit consists of an outer plateau area that surrounds a low-relief pile of lava flows, which is in turn topped by a caldera complex. The summit lava flows and caldera complex appear to represent the volcano’s final stages of activity. We will constrain the evolution and relative dominance of volcanic and tectonic processes in the development of the summit region, with a focus on the structure and stratigraphy of the summit caldera complex. Toward that end, we will construct a 1:1-million-scale geologic map of Albus Mons’ summit to determine the timing and eruption style of the lava flows found there; and the formation and evolution of the caldera complex relative to tectonic deformation of the volcano’s flanks and apparent tilting of the summit region. We will use Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) daytime infrared image mosaics as the map base, and will incorporate data from the Context Camera (CTX), the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), and the Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA) to inform our mapping.