HR: 16:45h
AN: P14A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: The Role of Gypsum in the Mars North Polar Region
AU: * Fishbaugh, K E
EM: fishbaugh@issi.unibe.ch
AF: International Space Science Institute, Hallerstrasse 6, Bern, CH 3012 Switzerland
AU: Langevin, Y
EM: yves.langevin@ias.u-psud.fr
AF: Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale CNRS-Universite Paris Sud, Bƒtiment 121, Orsay, F-91405 France
AU: Poulet, F
EM: francois.poulet@ias.u-psud.fr
AF: Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale CNRS-Universite Paris Sud, Bƒtiment 121, Orsay, F-91405 France
AU: Bibring, J
EM: bibring@ias.u-psud.fr
AF: Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale CNRS-Universite Paris Sud, Bƒtiment 121, Orsay, F-91405 France
AB: The dunes of the martian north polar ergs distinguish themselves from other dunes in several ways. The north polar ergs constitute the largest collection of dunes on the planet, these dunes have low thermal inertias compared with other dunes on Mars, and associated with the ergs is the largest exposed gypsum deposit thus far discovered on Mars by OMEGA. The source of these dunes has recently been suggested to be the north polar basal unit lying stratigraphically beneath the northern polar layered deposits. Using primarily OMEGA, THEMIS, MOC, and MOLA data, we investigate the geological connections between the dunes, the basal unit, the polar cap deposits, and the gypsum. This will help us to better understand what role this large, unique gypsum deposit has played in the north polar region and the nature of its association with dunes.
DE: 5462 Polar regions
DE: 5470 Surface materials and properties
DE: 6225 Mars
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005