The stratigraphic history of Arabia Terra, Mars

火星阿拉伯地层的地层历史

• 批准号: 2276767
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: The Open University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2276767
• 关键词: stratigraphic; history; Arabia; Terra; Mars

Use a broad variety of remote sensing data, including the latest very high-resolution images (0.25-5 m/pixel) from NASA and ESA spacecraft, to decipher and record the geology and geomorphology of an important region of Mars.Develop skills in GIS, planetary morphostratigraphic mapping, planetary surface dating by 'crater counting' Digital Elevation Model production, sedimentology, stratigraphy, data synthesis and academic writing.Join a large, dynamic research group with active Mars mission and instrument involvement, led by researchers working at the heart of UK planetary science.Arabia Terra is one of the most ancient parts of Mars and is the destination for ESA's 2020 ExoMars Rover. Arabia Terra is a fascinating region, with a diverse geology including evidence for extensive alluvial, tectonic, volcanic, depositional and erosional processes. Recent work has shown that during Mars' ancient Noachian Period (> 3.7 Billion years ago) Arabia Terra hosted extensive river systems that are now revealed as regular and inverted channel or valleys systems (1,2). The fluvial landscape has been exhumed from beneath a diverse variety of superimposing, but heavily eroded, strata of generally unknown origin and is now exposed in cliffs and bedding planes.For example, vast sedimentary deposits known as "etched terrains" crop out across Arabia Terra. They are remnants of once regionally-extensive units that have since been mostly removed. Proposed hypotheses for their origin include volcaniclastics from 'megavolcanoes', aeolian deposits or deeply eroded alluvial deposits. Younger, thinner and morphologically distinct examples of other resistant units also occur across the region, including at the ExoMars Rover landing site - these are often assumed to volcanic in origin, but little is known about them. Lastly, many hundreds or even thousands of high-relief, steep-sided erosional remnants are seen around the margins of Arabia Terra and appear to be all that is left of a once more extensive, tens of metres thick, sedimentary layers.This project aims to examine the regional distribution of all of these strata and put them into a regional and temporal context and to constrain the possible depositional, erosional and preservation processes. This is important for understanding the geological history of Mars, and for the alteration and preservation potential of biomarkers. The successful candidate will investigate the morphology, sedimentology and stratigraphy of these units using very high resolution (1-20 m) Digital Terrain Models, images and multi/hyperspectral data.ContinuedMeasurements of thickness, dip, erosion resistance and identification of geometries and repeated patterns in the layering will be used to test the various hypotheses for the origin of these units, or to build new working hypotheses. The project includes both detailed studies at near outcrop-scale using 25 cm/pixel HiRISE data and the new 4-5 m/pixel colour CaSSIS data, and synoptic survey and mapping studies using lower resolution remote sensing products.The project will be hosted in the Planetary Environments Research Group

使用各种遥感数据，包括最新的高分辨率图像（0.25-5米/像素），以破译和记录火星一个重要地区的地质和地貌。发展地理信息系统、行星形态地层制图、通过“陨石坑计数”确定行星表面年代的技能。数据合成和学术写作。加入一个由英国行星科学核心研究人员领导的大型动态研究小组，积极参与火星使命和仪器。Arabia Terra是火星最古老的部分之一，也是ESA 2020年ExoMars Rover的目的地。Arabia Terra是一个迷人的地区，具有多样的地质，包括广泛的冲积，构造，火山，沉积和侵蚀过程的证据。最近的研究表明，在火星古代诺亚纪（> 37亿年前）期间，阿拉伯地拥有广泛的河流系统，现在发现这些系统是规则和倒置的水道或山谷系统（1，2）。河流地貌是从各种各样的叠加层下挖掘出来的，但严重侵蚀，通常来源不明的地层，现在暴露在悬崖和层面上。它们是曾经广泛分布于区域的单位的残余物，现已大部分被拆除。对它们的起源提出的假设包括来自“巨型火山”的火山碎屑、风成沉积物或深度侵蚀的冲积沉积物。其他抵抗单位的更年轻，更薄和形态上不同的例子也出现在整个地区，包括ExoMars Rover着陆点-这些通常被认为是火山起源，但对它们知之甚少。最后，在Arabia Terra的边缘，可以看到数百甚至数千个高起伏、陡峭的侵蚀遗迹，似乎是曾经更广泛的几十米厚的沉积层所留下的一切，本项目旨在研究所有这些地层的区域分布，并将其置于区域和时间背景中，限制可能的沉积、侵蚀和保存过程。这对于了解火星的地质历史以及生物标志物的改变和保存潜力非常重要。成功的候选人将利用极高分辨率（1-20米）数字地形模型、图像和多光谱/超光谱数据调查这些单元的形态学、沉积学和地层学，继续测量厚度、倾角、抗侵蚀性并确定地层中的几何形状和重复模式，以检验关于这些单元起源的各种假设，或建立新的工作假设。该项目包括使用25厘米/像素HiRISE数据和新的4-5米/像素彩色CaSSIS数据进行近露头尺度的详细研究，以及使用较低分辨率遥感产品进行天气调查和绘图研究。