Volcanic Induced Deglaciation on Arsia Mons During Late Amazonian

Volcanism-induced, local wet-based glacial conditions recorded in the Late Amazonian Arsia Mons tropical mountain glacier deposits

Authors:

Scanlon et al

Abstract:

The tropical mountain glacial fan-shaped deposit (FSD) to the northwest of the Arsia Mons volcano on Mars contains numerous glacial and volcanic landforms. While most of the glacial landforms are interpreted to have formed by cold-based glacial processes, several glacial landforms near glaciovolcanic edifices are more consistent with localized wet-based glacial processes. These landforms include ribbed moraines, which suggest local, thermal transitions between wet- and cold-based ice; thrust-block moraines, whose formation is typically assisted by the presence of subglacial water; streamlined knobs that we interpret to have been sculpted by ice sliding along its base; and a braided outflow channel. The presence and association of these features, together with evidence of both subglacial volcanic eruptions and local ice-marginal advances, favor polythermal glaciers with localized wet-based conditions. We propose that lava-to-ice heat transfer during the eruption of the glaciovolcanic edifices caused the Arsia Mons paleoglacier to melt at its base in some areas, resulting in these locally wet-based glacial conditions. A polythermal glacier provides more potential microbial habitats and more connectivity between habitats than does a cold-based glacier, and we review glacial and glaciovolcanic habitats on Earth that may provide insight into the likelihood of potential microbial habitats within the Arsia Mons FSD on Mars.