Regional Geologic Mapping of Europa: Insights on Chaos Terrains and Relationship to the Global Units
Abstract
With the completion of a global (1:15M) geological map of Europa (Leonard et al., 2020), we have commenced systematic mapping at the regional-scale (~10% of the total surface area at ~250 m/pixel). This regional mapping provides greater insight into the characteristics of the broad global units, assess variations in terrain types across the surface, and achieve a better understanding as to how the surface has evolved. We use the current global geologic framework (Leonard et al., 2020) to establish links among widely separated parts of the surface. Here we present results from the mapping of 4 specific regions: Moytura Regio (Chaos), Conamara Chaos, the trailing hemisphere Galileo pole-to-pole mosaic, and the leading hemisphere Galileo pole-to-pole mosaic. Our preliminary results show that for the Conamara Chaos region, the chaos blocks (broken up pre-existing terrain) comprise up to ~20% of the area within the chaos as a whole while in Moytura Regio, the chaos blocks make up only ~10% of the area within the chaos mapped. In both cases, the rest of the unit is made up of material forming a "matrix". The observed differences between these two areas might indicate a higher level of deformation in Moytura Regio as the chaos developed. Additionally, the size-distribution of chaos blocks in Conamara Chaos appears to follow a power law whereas in Moytura Regio the distribution appears to be irregular. The distribution in the long-axis orientation of the chaos blocks in Conamara Chaos peaks near 40o and 130o with a minimum at ~90o. This orientation preference could be controlled by a pre-existing tectonic fabric, or relatedly, the overall shape of the boundary of the chaos terrain and association with adjacent ridges and bands. In comparison, for Moytura Regio, there does not appear to be any correspondence between the orientation of the blocks and the adjacent geologic units. Each of the other areas being mapped provide greater insight into global-scale units and will discussed in this presentation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMP025.0008L
- Keywords:
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- 6218 Jovian satellites;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS;
- 5430 Interiors;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS;
- 5480 Volcanism;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS;
- 5499 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS