Geometric Properties of Possible Volcanoes in the South Polar Region, Mars

In 1987 Tanaka and Scott mapped the south polar region of Mars using Viking Orbiter data and identified several features as volcanoes, probable volcanoes of uncertain origin, or mountains of uncertain origin. Several workers have since studied these features using Mars Orbiter Laser Altimetry (MOLA) data. In the north polar region of Mars volcanic edifices have been identified that have surrounding annular depressions, perhaps formed when magma chamber heat melted surrounding ground ice causing surface subsidence. Our objective is to use Martian south polar volcanoes as indicators of magma-ground ice interactions and as indicators of regional eruptive styles. In this study we use high resolution MOLA data to characterize the geometric parameters of mapped volcanoes and mountains and systematically search for any unidentified volcanic edifices from latitude 55 S to the South Pole.