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2653649 
Journal Article 
The dual nature of the martian crust: Young lavas and old clastic materials 
Bandfield, JL; Edwards, CS; Montgomery, DR; Brand, BD 
2013 
Yes 
Icarus
ISSN: 0019-1035
EISSN: 1090-2643 
222 
1 
188-199 
WOS:000314084800014 
Visible and thermal infrared spacecraft datasets are used to gain insight into the nature of the surface materials and upper martian crust, revealing a distinct transition in the physical properties of martian crustal materials that occurred during the Hesperian era. Contrary to a prevailing view of the martian crust as primarily composed of lava flows, we find that most older regions of Mars have morphological and thermophysical properties consistent with poorly consolidated fine-particulate materials that may have a volcaniclastic origin. By contrast, younger surfaces contain blocky materials and thermophysical properties consistent with effusive lava flows. Explosive volcanism is likely to have been dominant on early Mars and these findings have implications for the evolution of the volatile content of the crust and mantle and subsequent development of the surface morphology. This dual nature of the crust appears to be a defining characteristic of martian history. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
Mars, Surface; Terrestrial planets; Geological processes; Infrared observations; Regoliths