Grid Mapping the Northern Plains of Mars: Using Morphotype and Distribution of Ice‐Related Landforms to Understand Multiple Ice‐Rich Deposits in Utopia Planitia

Séjourné, Antoine; Costard, Francois; Swirad, Zuzanna M.; Łosiak, Anna; Bouley, Sylvain; Smith, Isaac; Balme, Matthew R.; Orgel, Csilla; Ramsdale, Jason D.; Hauber, Ernst; Conway, Susan J.; Gasselt, Stephan; Reiss, Dennis; Johnsson, Andreas; Gallagher, Colman; Skinner, James A.; Kereszturi, Ákos; Platz, Thomas

doi:10.1029/2018je005665

Grid Mapping the Northern Plains of Mars: Using Morphotype and Distribution of Ice‐Related Landforms to Understand Multiple Ice‐Rich Deposits in Utopia Planitia

Séjourné, Antoine; Costard, Francois; Swirad, Zuzanna M.; Łosiak, Anna; Bouley, Sylvain; Smith, Isaac; Balme, Matthew R.; Orgel, Csilla; Ramsdale, Jason D.; Hauber, Ernst; Conway, Susan J.; Gasselt, Stephan; Reiss, Dennis; Johnsson, Andreas; Gallagher, Colman; Skinner, James A.; Kereszturi, Ákos; Platz, Thomas

Authors

Antoine Séjourné

Francois Costard

Zuzanna M. Swirad

Anna Łosiak

Sylvain Bouley

Isaac Smith

Matthew R. Balme

Csilla Orgel

Jason D. Ramsdale

Ernst Hauber

Susan J. Conway

Stephan Gasselt

Dennis Reiss

Andreas Johnsson

Colman Gallagher

James A. Skinner

Ákos Kereszturi

Thomas Platz

Contributors

Zuzanna Swirad zuzanna.m.swirad@durham.ac.uk
Other

Zuzanna Swirad hwdm54@durham.ac.uk
Other

Abstract

This work in Utopia Planitia is the first continuous regional mapping of ice‐related landforms integrated into an effort to study the three main basins (Arcadia, Acidalia, and Utopia Planitiae) in the northern plains. The distribution and morphotypes of these landforms, SHAllow RADar detections, and crater size‐frequency distribution measurements (>50 m in diameter) were used to understand the permafrost cryolithology and its past evolution in relation to climate in Utopia Planitia. Three assemblages of landforms were identified based on their spatial correlation and correlation with Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter surface roughness along a strip from 30°N to 80°N. At 30°–38°N, the assemblage is formed by kilometer‐scale polygons, high‐albedo mounds, and thumbprint terrains. This assemblage is associated with a lobate deposit of 30 m in thickness with a crater retention age of 1 Ga. At 38°–47°N, the assemblage is comprised of large scallops, 100‐m‐diameter polygons, pits, and mantled deposits. This assemblage is correlated with a deposit of 80 m in thickness containing excess ice (~50–85% by volume) with a crater retention age of about 10 Ma. At 47°–78°N, the assemblage is composed of mantled deposits, textured terrains, and 30‐m‐diameter polygons. This assemblage is related to the ice‐rich, debris‐covered, latitude‐dependent mantle that has a crater retention age of about 1.5 Ma. Utopia Planitia appears to be a region of combined depositions of sediment and continuous cold climatic conditions that leaded to a complex distribution of ground ice.

Citation

Séjourné, A., Costard, F., Swirad, Z. M., Łosiak, A., Bouley, S., Smith, I., …Platz, T. (2019). Grid Mapping the Northern Plains of Mars: Using Morphotype and Distribution of Ice‐Related Landforms to Understand Multiple Ice‐Rich Deposits in Utopia Planitia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 124(2), 483-503. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018je005665

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Sep 7, 2018
Online Publication Date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication Date	Feb 28, 2019
Deposit Date	Mar 27, 2019
Publicly Available Date	Aug 21, 2019
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Print ISSN	2169-9097
Electronic ISSN	2169-9100
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	124
Issue	2
Pages	483-503
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1029/2018je005665

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Copyright Statement
Séjourné, Antoine, Costard, Francois, Swirad, Zuzanna M., Łosiak, Anna, Bouley, Sylvain, Smith, Isaac, Balme, Matthew R., Orgel, Csilla, Ramsdale, Jason D., Hauber, Ernst, Conway, Susan J., Gasselt, Stephan, Reiss, Dennis, Johnsson, Andreas, Gallagher, Colman, Skinner, James A., Kereszturi, Ákos & Platz, Thomas (2019). Grid Mapping the Northern Plains of Mars: Using Morphotype and Distribution of Ice‐Related Landforms to Understand Multiple Ice‐Rich Deposits in Utopia Planitia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 124(2): 483-503. 10.1029/2018JE005665. To view the published open abstract, go to https://doi.org/ and enter the DOI.