First high-resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits

Kathryn E. Fishbaugh; Christine Schøtt Hvidberg; Shane Byrne; Patrick S. Russel; Kenneth E. Herkenhoff; Mai Winstrup; Randolph Kirk

doi:10.1029/2009gl041642

First high-resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits

Kathryn E. Fishbaugh, Christine Schøtt Hvidberg, Shane Byrne, Patrick S. Russel, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Mai Winstrup, Randolph Kirk

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	37
Pages (from-to)	L07201
Number of pages	5
ISSN	0094-8276
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2009gl041642
Publication status	Published - 2 Apr 2010

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title = "First high-resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits",

abstract = "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.",

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doi = "10.1029/2009gl041642",

language = "English",

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T1 - First high-resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits

AU - Fishbaugh, Kathryn E.

AU - Hvidberg, Christine Schøtt

AU - Byrne, Shane

AU - Russel, Patrick S.

AU - Herkenhoff, Kenneth E.

AU - Winstrup, Mai

AU - Kirk, Randolph

PY - 2010/4/2

Y1 - 2010/4/2

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1029/2009gl041642

DO - 10.1029/2009gl041642

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 37

SP - L07201

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

ER -

First high-resolution stratigraphic column of the Martian north polar layered deposits

Abstract

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