Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field
Volcanic-aeolian interactions and processes have played a vital role in landscape evolution on Mars. Martian lava fields and associated caves have extensive geomorphological, astrobiological, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) implications for future Mars missions which might be focused on subs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/12/1970 |
| _version_ | 1827714636958400512 |
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| author | Lydia Sam Anshuman Bhardwaj Shaktiman Singh F. Javier Martin-Torres Maria-Paz Zorzano Juan Antonio Ramírez Luque |
| author_facet | Lydia Sam Anshuman Bhardwaj Shaktiman Singh F. Javier Martin-Torres Maria-Paz Zorzano Juan Antonio Ramírez Luque |
| author_sort | Lydia Sam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Volcanic-aeolian interactions and processes have played a vital role in landscape evolution on Mars. Martian lava fields and associated caves have extensive geomorphological, astrobiological, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) implications for future Mars missions which might be focused on subsurface exploration. Although several possible cave “skylights” of tens to >100 m diameter have been spotted in lava fields of Mars, there is a possibility of prevalence of meter-scale features which are an order of magnitude smaller and difficult to identify but could have vital significance from the scientific and future exploration perspectives. The Icelandic volcanic-aeolian environment and fissure volcanoes can serve as analogs to study lava flow-related small caves such as surface tubes, inflationary caves, liftup caves, and conduits. In the present work, we have tried to explore the usability of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived images for characterizing a solidified lava flow and designing a sequential methodology to identify small caves in the lava flow. In the mapped area of ~0.33 km<sup>2</sup>, we were able to identify 81 small cave openings, five lava flow morphologies, and five small cave types using 2 cm/pixel high-resolution images. The results display the usefulness of UAV imaging for such analogous research, and also highlight the possibility of the widespread presence of similar small cave openings in Martian lava fields. Such small openings can facilitate optimal air circulation within the caves while sheltering the insides from physical weathering and harmful radiations. Using the available best resolution remote sensing images, we extend the analogy through the contextual and geomorphological analysis of several possible pit craters in the Tharsis region of Mars, in a region of extremely vesicular and fragile lava crust with pahoehoe-type morphology. We report two possible pit craters in this region, with diameters as small as ~20 m. The possibility that such small cave openings can lead to vast subterranean hollow spaces on Mars cannot be ruled out considering its low gravity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:02:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a2ff13e9f994a558a9c2c32846c3442 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:02:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a2ff13e9f994a558a9c2c32846c34422023-11-20T04:21:08ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922020-06-011212197010.3390/rs12121970Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava FieldLydia Sam0Anshuman Bhardwaj1Shaktiman Singh2F. Javier Martin-Torres3Maria-Paz Zorzano4Juan Antonio Ramírez Luque5Division of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenDivision of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenDivision of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenDivision of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenDivision of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenDivision of Space Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, SwedenVolcanic-aeolian interactions and processes have played a vital role in landscape evolution on Mars. Martian lava fields and associated caves have extensive geomorphological, astrobiological, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) implications for future Mars missions which might be focused on subsurface exploration. Although several possible cave “skylights” of tens to >100 m diameter have been spotted in lava fields of Mars, there is a possibility of prevalence of meter-scale features which are an order of magnitude smaller and difficult to identify but could have vital significance from the scientific and future exploration perspectives. The Icelandic volcanic-aeolian environment and fissure volcanoes can serve as analogs to study lava flow-related small caves such as surface tubes, inflationary caves, liftup caves, and conduits. In the present work, we have tried to explore the usability of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived images for characterizing a solidified lava flow and designing a sequential methodology to identify small caves in the lava flow. In the mapped area of ~0.33 km<sup>2</sup>, we were able to identify 81 small cave openings, five lava flow morphologies, and five small cave types using 2 cm/pixel high-resolution images. The results display the usefulness of UAV imaging for such analogous research, and also highlight the possibility of the widespread presence of similar small cave openings in Martian lava fields. Such small openings can facilitate optimal air circulation within the caves while sheltering the insides from physical weathering and harmful radiations. Using the available best resolution remote sensing images, we extend the analogy through the contextual and geomorphological analysis of several possible pit craters in the Tharsis region of Mars, in a region of extremely vesicular and fragile lava crust with pahoehoe-type morphology. We report two possible pit craters in this region, with diameters as small as ~20 m. The possibility that such small cave openings can lead to vast subterranean hollow spaces on Mars cannot be ruled out considering its low gravity.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/12/1970lava fieldIcelandcavesMarsUAVhigh-resolution imaging |
| spellingShingle | Lydia Sam Anshuman Bhardwaj Shaktiman Singh F. Javier Martin-Torres Maria-Paz Zorzano Juan Antonio Ramírez Luque Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field Remote Sensing lava field Iceland caves Mars UAV high-resolution imaging |
| title | Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field |
| title_full | Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field |
| title_fullStr | Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field |
| title_full_unstemmed | Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field |
| title_short | Small Lava Caves as Possible Exploratory Targets on Mars: Analogies Drawn from UAV Imaging of an Icelandic Lava Field |
| title_sort | small lava caves as possible exploratory targets on mars analogies drawn from uav imaging of an icelandic lava field |
| topic | lava field Iceland caves Mars UAV high-resolution imaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/12/1970 |
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