Ancient Martian Deltas: Evidence for Shallow and Deep Standing Bodies of Water

Abstract:

Ancient deltas on Mars are indicative of a geologic history composed of complex fluvio-deltaic deposits. We focus on two morphologically different deltas preserved on Mars, one located in the Jezero crater and the other in the Shalbatana Valles canyon. The Jezero delta, formed during the Noachian age, is a large fluvial delta with strong channelization and a rigid shoreline resembling a terrestrial delta. In contrast, the Shalbatana Delta is a smaller scaled more briefly lived delta system, developed during the Hesperian, that is characterized by its smooth and simple planform. Evidence from previous studies on these Martian deltas such as the base level, mechanism to build sediment cohesion, estimated discharge, and time of formation offer support to ultimately discover why one delta drastically differs from the other. Based upon the observations from these two locations, we investigate through our physical experiments the conditions required to create these prograding deltas. We use carbonate precipitation in our experiments as a mechanism to increase bank stability, an alternative for any chemically driven precipitated deposits that potentially improve cohesion as vegetation does for terrestrial deltas. We found that there are differences in floodplain thickness, channelization, shoreline rugosity, and delta shape in the carbonate verse non-carbonate runs. Additionally, we conducted runs for isolating the influence that shallow and deep standing bodies of water have on prograding deltas. The experimental results suggested that the highly channelized delta (e.g., Jezero delta) rapidly prograded into a shallow body of water, covering a broader surface area and is dependent on a cohesive force for channel organization. On the contrary, Gilbert-type delta (e.g., Shalbatana delta) was best replicated when prograding into a deep standing body of water. Investigation using the experimental carbonate deltas suggests that cohesion results in better channelization (more elongate), smaller sediment aggradation rates, and more rugosity in shoreline. This information is important to further understand and piece together the climatic, hydraulic and biologic history of Mars.