Evidence of Ice-Rich Layered Deposits in the Medusae Fossae Formation of Mars
- Thomas Watters,
- Thomas R Watters,
- Bruce A Campbell,
- Carl J Leuschen,
- Gareth A Morgan,
- Andrea Cicchetti,
- Roberto Orosei,
- Jeffrey J Plaut
Thomas R Watters
Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Bruce A Campbell
Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Carl J Leuschen
CReSIS, The University of Kansas
Gareth A Morgan
Planetary Science Institute
Andrea Cicchetti
IAPS, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica
Roberto Orosei
IRA, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica
Jeffrey J Plaut
JPL, California Institute of Technology
Abstract
• MARSIS radar sounder data reveals layering in the Medusae Fossae Formation deposits. • Layers are likely due to transitions between mixtures of ice-rich and ice-poor dust, analogous to those in Polar Layered Deposits. • An ice-rich portion of the MFF deposit may contain the largest volume of water in the equatorial region of Mars.18 Jan 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive 24 Jan 2024Published in ESS Open Archive