Thermophysical and Compositional Analyses of Dunes at Hargraves Crater, Mars

• Published in: The planetary science journal 2021-12, Vol.2 (6), p.218
• Main Authors: Emran, A., Marzen, L. J., King Jr, D. T., Chevrier, V. F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Mars; Solar system; Solar system astronomy; Solar system planets
• ISSN: 2632-3338; 2632-3338
• DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/ac25ee

We analyze thermal emission spectra using the 2001 Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System and the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer to characterize grain size and mineralogical composition of dunes at Hargraves crater, Mars. Thermal inertia and bulk composition of the dunes were compared to inferred provenances from the thermal infrared response of surface constituent materials. We use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique to estimate the bulk amount of mineralogy contributed by each inferred provenance to the dune field composition. An average thermal inertia value of 238 ± 17 Jm −2 K −1 s −0.5 was found for the dunes, corresponding to a surface composed of an average effective grain size of ∼391 ± 172 μ m. This effective particle size suggests the presence of mostly medium sand-sized materials mixed with fine and coarse grain sands. The dunes are likely composed of a weakly indurated surface mixed with unconsolidated materials. Compositional analysis specifies that the dunes are composed of a mixture of feldspar, olivine, pyroxene, and relatively low bulk-silica content. Dune materials were likely derived from physical weathering, especially aeolian erosion, predominantly from the crater ejecta unit at the crater, mixed with a small amount from the crater floor and crater rim and wall lithologies—indicating that the dune materials were likely sourced locally.