GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, NO. 1, 10.1029/2001GL013345, 2002

Recent aqueous floods from the Cerberus Fossae, Mars

Devon M. Burr and Alfred S. McEwen

Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona,
Tucson, Arizona, USA

Susan E. H. Sakimoto

Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, Geodynamics Branch, Gaddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

Abstract

[1]   Streamlined forms and longitudinal grooving seen in Mars Orbital Camera (MOC) images indicate recent aqueous flooding occurred downslope (south) of the southern-most Cerberus Fossae fissure. Topography from the Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA), in conjunction with the absence of fluvial features in MOC images immediately to the north of the Fossa, substantiate the idea that floods emanated from this fissure. The floodwater flowed southward onto the western Cerberus Plains, where it probably percolated into existing lava flows. Thus, shallow ice may still be extant beneath young lava flows in this equatorial region.

Received 21 April 2001; revised 11 October 2001; accepted 1 November 2001; published 15 January 2002.

Index Terms: 6225 Mars; 5415 Erosion and weathering; 5480 Volcanism (8450); 5499 General or miscellaneous.

Citation: Burr, D. M., A. S.McEwen, S. E. H. Sakimoto, Recent aqueous floods from the Cerberus Fossae, Mars, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(1), 10.1029/2001GL013345, 2002.

Copyright 2002 by the American Geophysical Union.