The Martian highland paterae: Evidence for explosive volcanism on Mars

The Martian surface exhibits numerous volcanic landforms displaying great diversity in size, age, and morphology. Most research regarding Martian volcanology has centered around effusive basaltic volcanism, including analyses of individual lava flows, extensive lava plains, and large shield volcanoes. These studies were hindered by a lack of definitive morphologic criteria for the remote identification of ash deposits. Knowledge of the abundances, ages, and geologic settings of explosive volcanic deposits on Mars is essential to a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of the Martian surface, with implications for the evolution of the lithosphere and atmosphere as well as the histories of specific volcanic centers and provinces.