Recent Advances in Mars Tectonics

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Recent Advances in Mars Tectonics

Golombek, M. P. / Banerdt, W. B.

Since the publication of the "Stress and Tectonics on Mars" chapter in the Mars book (the last comprehensive summary of our knowledge on the topic) considerable advances have been made in certain areas of Martian tectonics and significant advances are expected with the return of Mars Global Surveyor data. This abstract will summarize the advances in our knowledge of tectonic features and processes on Mars since the Mars book and point towards new areas of research that can be expected from the Mars Global Surveyor data. Two out of three areas of study that were discussed as future directions of work in the Mars chapter have had significant work directed towards them. One area is the field of structural mapping and understanding the timing of tectonic activity on Mars in the framework of the global stratigraphy. Although the general development and relative timing of the development of the Tharsis province on Mars had been understood for some time, actual placement of mapped tectonic features in a global stratigraphic framework has only recently been completed. The second area of study mentioned in the Mars chapter was the impact of improved topography and gravity on modeling loads and deriving stresses in the Martian lithosphere. Mars Global Surveyor is on the brink of returning vastly improved topographic and gravity fields and these newer data sets can be used to better define the size and shape of Tharsis and to quantify loads and derived stresses in the Martian lithosphere. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.