Leveraging observational data acquired by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, planetary geoscientists have meticulously compiled a geological map of Oxia Planum, the designated landing zone for ESA’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission, at a scale of 1:30000.
Fawdon et al. have produced the most granular geologic cartography of Oxia Planum, the designated touchdown locale for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. Image attribution: Fawdon et al., doi: 10.1080/17445647.2024.2302361.
Oxia Planum is situated along the northern periphery of Arabia Terra and serves as a repository of the varied geological transformations that have sculpted this terrain.
This region acts as a transitional zone, bridging the heavily cratered expanse of Arabia Terra with the more recent, low-lying plains of Chryse Planitia.
“Oxia Planum is positioned in proximity to the Martian equator and encompasses sedimentary deposits dating back nearly 4 billion years,” stated Open University researcher Peter Fawdon and his collaborators.
“In geological terms, this site will represent the most ancient landing location ever explored by a rover on Mars.”
“The area is abundant in clay minerals, which originated from interactions with water. These rock formations are exceptionally conducive to preserving evidence of the earliest life forms, rendering it an optimal locale for investigating the potential for past Martian life on the Red Planet.”
To construct the geological map of Oxia Planum, the research team utilized data gathered by the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) aboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, in addition to data from several instruments on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), including the high-resolution HiRISE camera.
The resultant map delineates 15 distinct bedrock units, classified into 6 primary groups, alongside 7 textural and surficial units.
“The cartography incorporates the foremost types of bedrock and structural features characterized by their unique morphologies, such as ridges and impact craters,” the investigators elaborated.
“It even encompasses materials deposited atop these formations, including those transported by wind or ejected considerable distances during meteorite impacts.”
The culmination of this effort is the most detailed map of Oxia Planum to date, rendered at a scale of 1:25000, signifying that each centimeter depicted corresponds to 250 meters on the Martian surface.
An average daily traverse of 25 to 50 meters undertaken by the Rosalind Franklin rover would translate to approximately one to two millimeters on this map.
“This map is particularly significant as it acts as a navigational guide, directing us towards the locations where we can uncover pertinent answers,” commented Dr. Fawdon.
“It functions as a visual representation of our current hypotheses regarding the diverse rock formations present at the landing site.”
“The sophisticated instruments aboard the Rosalind Franklin rover will empower us to validate our understanding empirically once the mission commences.”
The findings have been officially published in the esteemed Journal of Maps.
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Peter Fawdon et al. 2024. A high-resolution geological map of Oxia Planum, Mars; the designated landing vicinity for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. Journal of Maps 20 (1); doi: 10.1080/17445647.2024.2302361
