New Detections of Feldspar‐Bearing Volcanic Rocks in the Walls of Valles Marineris, Mars

Abstract

AbstractPlagioclase‐bearing rocks were first detected in the vicinity of large impact basins on Mars using visible/near‐infrared (VNIR) data. The geologic context is consistent with excavated plutons or ancient crustal outcrops. Our analyses reveal plagioclase outcrops exposed in a 200 m thick, sub‐horizontal layer in the 8 km deep walls of the Valles Marineris canyon. These plagioclase‐bearing rocks are consistent with either a sill, a volcano‐clastic layer, or a porphyritic lava flow, in contrast with the previous understanding that plagioclase feldspar signatures must be indicative of nearly pure, anorthositic rocks inherited from a primary flotation crust or granitoids from either plutonic activity or ancient continental crust. We present here evidence of possibly effusive, volcanic rocks bearing plagioclase VNIR spectral signatures, expanding the geologic setting of these unique and uncommon martian rocks to include multiple lithologies. This has direct implications for Mars magmatic processes and for the nature of its crust.