Morphological analyses of small and medium size landforms in Scandia Cavi and Olympia Undae, Northern circumpolar region of mars

Abstract

This article presents a systematic morphological analysis of the topographic landforms at Olympia Undae and Scandia Cavi in the northern circumpolar region of Mars. The study has been performed using images from Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, as well as topographic profiles from Mars Global Surveyor of 200 small and medium-size geological landforms (16 km diameter on average). The main morphometric parameters of these landforms have allowed their classification into three groups that include cratered structures, non-cratered structures, and complex irregular structures. In the cratered group, three subgroups can be distinguished: cratered cones, impact craters and undifferentiated craters. In turn, the non-cratered group includes two subgroups: peaked domes and simple domes. Their possible relation to internal, surface and impact processes is discussed.