Apollinaris Patera & Lava in Gusev Crater. A link or not?

[3488]

A poser & something that I have been thinking about for some time.<br /><br />Is the proximimity of Gusev Crater to the giant Apollinaris Patera shield volcano<br />related to the basalt encountered by the MER A Spirit?<br /><br />MGS / MOC Image. <font color="yellow">MER A Spirit site is marked by the small white circle</font><br /><br />GongGong Sol 736 a fist sized basalt.<br /><br />Volcanic rocks, MER A Spirit Sol 1,344. Courtesy of Anthmartian.<br /><br />Humphrey volcanic boulder, MER A Spirit Sol 53.<br /><br />Home Plate volcanic forms & structures.<br /><br />Are the above images of the volcanic rocks related to Apollinaris Patera in some way, or <br />due to fracturing of the floor of Gusev Crater totally unrelated?<br /><br />Did the lava that formed Apollinaris Patera & covered the floor of Gusev Crater come from<br />a common source, or are they<br />totally independent from one another?<br /><br />I think it is not disputed that Ma'adim Vallis was indeed a giant water channel that fed a lake<br />within Gusev Crater, but my question is this.<br /><br />After the lake beds were settled & volcanic lava flooded at least a large part of Gusev Crater,<br />post lake bed deposition, did the lava flood the crater floor at the same time, as the growth<br />of Apollinaris Patera, or is the Gusev Crater lava older than the giant shield volcano?<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Interesting question Andrew.<br /><br />Since Gusev seems closed off to the north, my instict would suggest that the lava is not directly related. However, since the Elysium volcanic province is very largee, it may well be that the lava filling Gusev may be generally related to the same provice that formed Apollinaris Patera.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>