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Composition of Syrtis Major volcanic plateauSyrtis Major, a low-relief volcanic shield centered near 295 degrees 10 degrees N, is an old, well-preserved and exposed volcanic region on Mars which formed at the end of the heavy bombardment period. The composition of these volcanic materials has importance for understanding the thermal and chemical history of Mars. Imaging spectrometer data of the Syrtis Major volcanic plateau are used in this analysis to identify major compositional components. First and second order even channel reflectance spectra between 0.77 and 2.55 microns from four broad classes of materials on Syrtis Major are given. For the volcanic materials, there are three primary classes characterized by albedo, slope, and shape of the 10 micron band. To emphasize the latter, straight line continua were removed from each spectral segment and replotted in another figure. Each spectrum shows a band minima near 0.96 microns and 2.15 microns indicative of pyroxene mineral absorptions. Comparison of these band minima with studies of pyroxene reflectance spectra suggests that the pyroxenes in the volcanics of Syrtis Major are high calcium pyroxene with a Ca/(Mg+Fe+Ca) ratio of 0.2 to 0.3. The most likely pyroxene is an augite.
Document ID
19920001597
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other
Authors
Mustard, John F. (Brown Univ. Providence, RI., United States)
Erard, S. (Paris Univ. Orsay (France)., United States)
Bibring, Jean-Pierre (Paris Univ. Orsay (France)., United States)
Langevin, Yves (Paris II Univ. Orsay, France)
Head, James W. (Brown Univ. Providence, RI., United States)
Pieters, Carle M. (Brown Univ. Providence, RI, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Washington, Reports of Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program, 1990
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
92N10815
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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