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First high‐resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits
Author(s) -
Fishbaugh Kathryn E.,
Hvidberg Christine S.,
Byrne Shane,
Russell Patrick S.,
Herkenhoff Kenneth E.,
Winstrup Mai,
Kirk Randolph
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl041642
Subject(s) - geology , polar , martian , mars exploration program , layer (electronics) , mineralogy , astrobiology , chemistry , physics , astronomy , organic chemistry
This study achieves the first high‐spatial‐resolution, layer‐scale, measured stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits using a 1m‐posting DEM. The marker beds found throughout the upper North Polar Layered Deposits range in thickness from 1.6 m–16.0 m +/− 1.4 m, and 6 of 13 marker beds are separated by ∼25–35 m. Thin‐layer sets have average layer separations of 1.6 m. These layer separations may account for the spectral‐power‐peaks found in previous brightness‐profile analyses. Marker‐bed layer thicknesses show a weak trend of decreasing thickness with depth that we interpret to potentially be the result of a decreased accumulation rate in the past, for those layers. However, the stratigraphic column reveals that a simple rhythmic or bundled layer sequence is not immediately apparent throughout the column, implying that the relationship between polar layer formation and cyclic climate forcing is quite complex.