| Autor: |
Hughes SS; 1 Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho., Haberle CW; 2 Mars Space Flight Facility, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona., Kobs Nawotniak SE; 1 Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho., Sehlke A; 3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California., Garry WB; 4 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland., Elphic RC; 3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California., Payler SJ; 5 UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom., Stevens AH; 5 UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom., Cockell CS; 5 UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom., Brady AL; 6 School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada., Heldmann JL; 3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.; 7 NASA Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia., Lim DSS; 3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.; 8 BAER Institute, Moffett Field, California. |
| Abstrakt: |
Field research target regions within two basaltic geologic provinces are described as Earth analogs to Mars. Regions within the eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho and the Big Island of Hawai'i, the United States, provinces that represent analogs of present-day and early Mars, respectively, were evaluated on the basis of geologic settings, rock lithology and geochemistry, rock alteration, and climate. Each of these factors provides rationale for the selection of specific targets for field research in five analog target regions: (1) Big Craters and (2) Highway lava flows at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, and (3) Mauna Ulu low shield, (4) Kīlauea Iki lava lake, and (5) Kīlauea caldera in the Kīlauea Volcano summit region and the East Rift Zone of Hawai'i. Our evaluation of compositional and textural attributes, as well as the effects of syn- and posteruptive rock alteration, shows that basaltic terrains in Idaho and Hawai'i provide a way to characterize the geology and major geologic substrates that host biological activity of relevance to Mars exploration. This work provides the foundation to better understand the scientific questions related to the habitability of basaltic terrains, the rationale behind selecting analog field targets, and their applicability as analogs to Mars. |
