USING SPECTRAL ANALYSES TO ASSESS PROVENANCE OF MARTIAN DEPOSITS USING AN INTEGRATED GEODATABASE

This study focuses on understanding surface processes and landforms in the vicinity of Nili Fossae, Valles Marineris, and Sinus Meridiani to understand the evolution of the Martian surface. We created a geodatabase to analyze the geomorphology of alluvial fan distribution and fluvial systems, alongside the spatial distribution of key minerals such as olivine, hematite, and pyroxene in these regions. The geodatabase integrates multiple analytical techniques using MOLA DEMs, including topographical profiling, spatial analyses, surface modeling, and database connectivity using TES global mineral abundance maps. Mapping of spectral variations with high resolution spectral imagery in previous studies relating to visible and near-infrared spectrometry will be analyzed in ArcGIS Pro. By linking mineral provenance to geomorphic features, we reconstruct past depositional environments and assess the provenance of alluvial fans and fluvial systems on Mars. Preliminary results show in the Nili Fossae region, high concentrations of high-Ca pyroxene observed outside impact craters, suggesting a distinct pattern of sediment accumulation. Within the Valles Marineris region, hematite deposits are present in the eastern portion of the canyon and high-Ca pyroxene is distributed across the canyon and to the south of Valles Marineris in Solis Planum. In the Sinus Meridiani region, a large deposit ofhematite is present with an association of olivine could imply secondary mineralization resulting from weathering chemical reactions. Using a geodatabase in GIS to assesses the geomorphology with the distribution of mineralogy we can hypothesize and correlate the paragenesis of minerals on Mars that may be related to the distribution of alluvial fan deposits from ancient fluvial systems.