El origen glaciar de la aureola del volcán Arsia Mons, Marte

Abstract

Huge lobate deposits called aureoles are covering the base of the giant Martian volcanic constructs of Tharsis dome. The origin of these structures has been a matter of debate between two competing hypotheses: volcanic landslides or mountain glaciers. Here we consider the most important of the aureoles, near Arsia Mons, concluding that the glacier model explains best the deposit features, such as the layering, the ridges (interpreted as glaciotectonic ones), and the lobated terrain. We then discuss the fit of these proposed glacier deposits in the present paleoclimatic Martian models. The aureoles could be key elements in the confirmation of the «Baker cycle» model of repeated episodes of temperate, humid, sea-dominated climates coincident in time with the outflow channels activity.