New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

Composition and structures of the subsurface in the vicinity of Valles Marineris as revealed by central uplifts of impact craters

“…In this case, the layers could be contemporaneous to the basin. The existence of a crustal basin centered south of Melas Chasma has already been suggested from gravimetric data (Dohm et al, 2001(Dohm et al, , 2009. (3) Vertical crustal tectonics (see Fig.…”

Grain coatings: Diagenesis of Jurassic sandstones in south-central Utah and implications for targeting fossil microbes on Mars

“…In addition to the features located in the northern plains with multiple interpretations (e.g., Scott et al, 1995), which includes volatile-routing pipe structures, post-Viking-era imagery reveals features that have been interpreted as sediment megapipes in parts of Candor Chasma (Chan et al, 2010). The complex canyon system of Valles Marineris appears to record significant magmatic-driven activity, which includes tectonism and hydrothermal activity (Dohm et al, 2009). Such activity could have resulted in volatile-release features such as sediment megapipes.…”

Volcanism and tectonism across the inner solar system: an overview

“…Although the linearity of canyon walls suggests a tectonic origin, differing driving mechanisms have been proposed for the canyons, including tectonic rifting associated with large-scale magmatism and/or extensive dyke emplacement (e.g. Blasius et al 1977;Mège & Masson 1996;McKenzie & Nimmo 1999;Schultz & Lin 2001;Dohm et al 2009), collapse along tectonic zones and subsequent catastrophic discharges (Sharp 1973;Tanaka & Golombek 1989;Spencer & Fanale 1990;Rodriguez et al 2006), salt tectonics (Montgomery & Gillespie 2005;Adams et al 2009), composite origins involving erosion (Lucchitta et al 1994) and/or major distinct stages of collapse and normal faulting (Schultz 1998), and volcano-erosion where Tharsissourced lava tubes form pit chains due to roof collapse, which later evolve into fossae and chasmata (Leone 2014). A recent study by Andrews-Hanna (2012) showed that canyon formation occurred through displacement along steeply dipping faults, coupled with vertical subsidence.…”