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Mapping Weak Crustal Magnetic Fields on Mars with Electron ReflectometryOne of the great surprises of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission was the discovery of intensely magnetized crust. These magnetic sources are at least ten times stronger than their terrestrial counterparts, probably requiring large volumes of coherently magnetized material, very strong remanence, or both. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of these fields is their large scale coherence and organization into east-west stripes thousands of kilometers long. The anomalies were almost certainly created by thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) in the presence of a strong Martian dynamo. With few exceptions, the crustal fields are associated with the oldest terrain on Mars. Much of the northern lowlands appears to be non-magnetic, except for the relatively weak north polar anomalies and a few sources adja-cent to the dichotomy boundary, which appear to be associated with strongly magnetized crust south of the boundary. There is clear evidence for impact demagnetization of the Hellas, Argyre, and Isidis basins. Thus, Mars' crustal magnetic fields are among the oldest preserved geologic features on the planet.
Document ID
20040062161
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mitchell, D. L.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Lillis, R.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Lin, R. P.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Connerney, J. E. P.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Acuna, M. H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Mars Geophysics
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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