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Geology topics

David H. Scott

Publications and source records attributed to David H. Scott.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1998

Geologic map of Pavonis Mons Volcano, Mars

The geologic map shows lava flows and fan-shaped deposits on Pavonis Mons, the central of three large shield volcanoes ( Arsia , Pavonis, and Ascr aeus Montes) that form the Tharsis Montes volcanic chain. The volcanoes lie along the crest of a regional northeast-trending rise that extends more than 3,000 km across the western equatorial region of Mars (fig. 1). The volcanic history of Pavonis Mons is similar to that of other volcanoes in the western equatorial region of Mars (Scott and others, 1981 a-c; Scott and Tanaka, 1981, 1986; Zimbelman and Edgett , 1992). Previous geologic mapping of this region (Scott and others, 1981a-c; Scott and Tanaka, 1981, 1986) shows six major lava flows that were extruded from the Tharsis volcanoes during the Early Hes perian to Late Amazonian Epochs; four of these lava flow members are present in the map area. On the northwest flank of Pavonis Mons, broad, lobate, fan-shaped deposits form a surficial cover similar to other fan-shaped deposits on the northwest flanks of Arsia , Arcaeus , and (to a lesser degree) Olympus Mons. Similar to those of Arsia Mons , the fan-shaped deposits of Pavonis Mons consists of several facies whose origins are attributed to glaciation, mass wasting, and pyroclastic volcanism origins.

IMAP↗
USGS1993

Geologic map of science study area 8, Apollinaris Patera region of Mars

Volcanoes are among the most imposing and geologically interesting features on Mars. Nearly 60 percent of the planet’s surface is covered by volcanic rocks dating from the Early Noachian to Late Amazonian Epochs (Tanaka and others, 1988). This map of the volcano Apollinaris Patera and surrounding area is one of a series of large-scale (1:500,000) geologic maps initiated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to investigate areas of particular scientific interest. The areas selected for mapping contain candidate landing sites for future sample-return missions to Mars (fig. 1). The map area is considered to be of special scientific interest for several reason: (1) it includes the prominent volcano Apollinaris Patera, a type of volcanic edifice unusual on Mars in that it is not associated with significant faulting and is partly surrounded by a basal scarp similar to that of its much larger counterpart at the base of Olympus Mons; (2) it is located in a major transition zone between ancient highlands to the south and much of the younger lowland plains to the north; (3) rocks have different origins and a ide range of ages occurring in the area; and (4) erosional processes associated with fluvial, volcanic, and eolian activity have shaped the terrain. The map area’s potential as a landing site is increased by its extensive, relatively smooth areas at low elevation (0 to 1 km), which would permit access by an automated vehicle and atmospheric breaking by a landing craft.

IMAP↗
USGS1973

Volcanic studies: Part B: Mare Serenitatis cinder cones and terrestrial analogs

Small volcanic cones with summit craters or breached walls occur in several areas on the Moon. Most of these features have basal diameters of approximately 1 to 2 km and probably are not more than a few hundred meters in height. None have been so clearly photographed, however, as those shown in Apollo 17 metric and panoramic camera coverage of the southeastern margin of the Serenitatis basin. Two cones (A and B in fig. 30-6) approximately 10 km apart project above mare material of Eratosthenian to Imbrian age (sec. 29, part A). Between the cones, small mounds (C, D, and E in fig. 30-6) appear to be alined along the buried extension of a rille (F in fig. 30-6, mostly outside photograph) and are probably volcanic extrusions or domes. In both scale and morphology, these and other lunar cones are remarkably similar to terrestrial cinder cones (figs. 30-7 and 30-8), and their interpreted volcanic origin is not dependent on controversial criteria such as dark halos, smooth rims, or their association with materials assumed to be volcanically derived. Summit craters may be coincidental and the result of impacts on the crests of the hills, but their occurrence with cones having breached surfaces or along structural lineaments (or both) strongly favors a volcanic or volcano-tectonic origin. Like their terrestrial counterparts, these cones probably are composite structures made up of inter-layered pyroclastic material and lava flows.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Mare ridges and related studies: Part D: small structures of the Taurus-Littrow region

Apollo 17 permission geologic studies of the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon revealed numerous small structures, in both mare and terra, having somewhat similar morphologies and variously resembling fault scarps, flow fronts, and mare ridges. Many of these features are too small to be identified on Lunar Orbiter IV photographs, which provided the most comprehensive, high-resolution coverage of this area before the later Apollo missions. The panoramic- and metric-camera photographs of Apollo 17 were taken at lower Sun angles than those of Apollo 15, which were used for the geologic mapping (refs. 31-40 and 31-41), and thus more clearly reveal fine details of texture and relief. In the illustrations of this part, several of these small structures are compared. It is concluded that they probably developed as lava extrusions from fractures and fissures; they cannot be easily explained by faulting.

Book chapter↗
USGS1972

Photogeology: Part G: structural aspects of Imbrium sculpture

Apollo 16 metric photographs taken at low to high Sun angles (from approximately 7° to 40°) provide the first stereographic coverage of the distinctive landforms collectively referred to as "Imbrium sculpture" (refs. 29-40 and 29-41). The sculpture consists of a series of nearly linear ridges and troughs extending radially outward for more than 1000 km from the rim of the Imbrium Basin. The sculpture is particularly well developed in the highlands southwest of the basin, where individual segments have lengths measured in tens of kilometers. THe origin of the ridges and troughs, whether by deposition and impact scoring by fluidized clouds of ejecta from the Imbrium Basin or by faulting and volcanism during and subsequent to basin formation, is controversial. Similar appearing features occur around other large basins on both the near and far sides of the Moon; thus, information leading to a better interpretation of Imbrium sculpture has significance throughout the Moon.

Book chapter↗