Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Quadrangles”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Geological Map of the Fredegonade (V-57) Quadrangle, Venus: Status Report

The Fredegonde quadrangle (V-57; 50-75degS, 60-120degE, Fig. 1) corresponds to the northeastern edge of Lada Terra and covers a broad area of the topographic province of midlands (0-2 km above MPR [1,2]). This province is most abundant on Venus and displays a wide variety of units and structures [3-11]. The sequence of events that formed the characteristic features of the midlands is crucially important in understanding of the timing and modes of evolution of this topographic province. Topographically, the Fredegonde quadrangle is within a transition zone between the elevated portion of Lada Terra to the west (Quetzalpetlatl-Boala Coronae rise, approx.3.5 km) and the lowland of Aino Planitia to the north and northeast (approx.-0.5 km). This transition is one of the key features of the V-57 quadrangle. In this respect the quadrangle resembles the region of V-4 quadrangle [12] that shows transition between the midlands and the lowlands of Atalanta Planitia. One of the main goals of our mapping within the V-57 quadrangle is comparison of this region with the other transitional topographic zones such as quadrangles V-4 and V-3 [13]. The most prominent features in the V-57 quadrangle are linear deformational zones of grooves and large coronae. The zones characterize the central and NW portions of the map area and represent broad (up to 100s of km wide) ridges that are 100s of m high. Morphologically and topographically, these zones are almost identical to the groove belt/corona complexes at the western edge of Atalanta Planitia [12]. Within the Fredegonde area, however, the zones are oriented at high angles to the general trend of elongated Aino Planitia, whereas within the V-4 quadrangle they are parallel to the edge of Atalanta Planitia. Relatively small (100s of km across, 100s of m deep) equidimensional basins occur between the corona-groove-chains in the area of V-57 quadrangle. These basins are similar to those that populate the area of the V-3 quadrangle [13]. Broad regional plains cover the surface of the basins in both regions. In contrast to Fredegonde, the area of the V-3 quadrangle displays a greater diversity of units and features [13]. Here we describe units that make up the surface within the V-57 quadrangle and present a summary of our geological map that shows the areal distribution of the major groups of units.

Ivanov, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Geology of the Lachesis Tessera Quadrangle (V-18), Venus

The Lachesis Tessera Quadrangle (V-18) lies between 25deg and 50deg north, 300deg and 330deg east. Most of the quadrangle consists of "regional plains" (1) of Sedna and Guinevere Planitiae. A first draft of the geology has been completed, and the tentative number of mapped units by terrain type is: Tesserae - 2; plains - 4; ridge belts - 1; fracture belts - 1 (plus embayed fragments of possible additional belts); coronae - 3; central volcanoes - 1; shield flows - 2; paterae - 1; impact craters - 1; undifferentiated flows - 1; bright materials - 1. By far the areally most extensive materials are regional plains. These are mapped as two units, based on radar backscatter ("radar brightness"). The brighter unit appears to be younger than the darker unit. This inference is based on the common presence within the lighter unit of circular or nearly circular inliers of material with radar backscatter characteristic of the darker unit. The circular inliers are most likely low shield volcanoes, which are commonly present on the darker unit, that were only partially covered by the brighter unit. Clear cut examples of wrinkle ridges and fractures superposed on the darker unit but truncated by the brighter unit have not been found to date. These relationships indicate that the brighter unit is superposed on the darker unit, but that the difference in age between them is very small. Because they are so widespread, the regional plains are a convenient relative age time "marker." The number of impact craters superposed on these plains is too small to measure age differences (2), and thus we cannot estimate how much time elapsed between the emplacement of the darker and brighter regional plains units. More local plains units are defined by significantly lower radar backscatter or by a texture that is mottled at scores to hundreds of kilometers scale. A plains-like unit with a homogenous, bright diffuse backscatter is present as scattered exposures in the eastern part of the quadrangle. These exposures have been mapped as "bright material," but it is not clear at present if this is a valid unit or if it is part of the brighter regional plains unit. Tessera terrain is primarily found along the western border of the quadrangle, where Lachesis Tessera refers to the southern exposures, and Zirka Tessera refers to northern exposures. A second tessera unit has been mapped with the symbol "t?." This unit appears to be deformed by the requisite 2 sets of closely spaced structures, but it is so extensively flooded by regional plains materials that the structural fabric is partially obscured. Tessera terrain is present in the adjacent V-17 quadrangle, where both Lachesis Tessera and Zirka Tessera are areally more extensive than in V-18. Ridge and fracture belts are both present, but not as extensive as is the case in, for example, the Pandrosos Dorsa (3) and Lavinia Planitia (4) quadrangles. As is commonly the case, it is difficult to determine if the materials of these belts are older or younger than regional plains. A recent study using radar properties (5) demonstrated that at least most ridge belts appear to be older than regional plains. The materials of fracture belts probably are also older than regional plains, but the fractures themselves can be both older and younger than regional plains (e.g., 3).

McGill, George E.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Geologic Mapping of the Marius Quadrangle, the Moon

The authors seek to construct a 1:2,500,000-scale map of Lunar Quadrangle 10 (LQ10 or the Marius Quadrangle) to address outstanding questions about the Moon's volcanologic history and the role of impact basins in lunar geologic evolution. The selected quadrangle contains Aristarchus plateau and the Marius hills, Reiner Gamma, and Hevelius crater. By generating a geologic map of this region, we can constrain the temporal (and possibly genetic) relations between these features, revealing more information about the Moon's chemical and thermal evolution. Although many of these individual sites have been investigated using Lunar Orbiter, Clementine, Lunar Prospector and Galileo data, no single investigation has yet attempted to constrain the stratigraphic and geologic relationships between these features. Furthermore, we will be able to compare our unit boundaries on the eastern boundary of the proposed map area with those already mapped in the Copernicus Quadrangle. Geologic mapping of the Marius Quadrangle would provide insight to the following questions: the origin, evolution, and distribution of mare volcanism; the timing and effects of the major basin-forming impacts on lunar crustal stratigraphy; and, the Moon's important resources, where they are concentrated, and how they can be accessed.

Gregg, Tracy K. P.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Mineralogical Analysis of the Oppia Quadrangle of Asteroid (4) Vesta: Evidence for Occurrence of Moderate-Reflectance Hydrated Minerals

Quadrangle Av-10 'Oppia' is one of five quadrangles that cover the equatorial region of asteroid (4) Vesta. This quadrangle is notable for the broad, spectrally distinct ejecta that extend south of the Oppia crater. These ejecta exhibit the steepest ('reddest') visible spectral slope observed across the asteroid and have distinct color properties as seen in multispectral composite images. Compared to previous works that focused on the composition and nature of unusual ('orange') ejecta found on Vesta, here we take into account a broader area that includes several features of interest, with an emphasis on mineralogy as inferred from data obtained by Dawn's Visible InfraRed mapping spectrometer (VIR). Our analysis shows that the older northern and northeastern part of Av-10 is dominated by howardite-like material, while the younger southwestern part, including Oppia and its ejecta blanket, has a markedly eucritic mineralogy. The association of the mineralogical information with the geologic and topographic contexts allows for the establishment of relationships between the age of the main formations observed in this quadrangle and their composition. A major point of interest in the Oppia quadrangle is the spectral signature of hydrous material seen at the local scale. This material can be mapped by using high-resolution VIR data, combined with multispectral image products from the Dawn Framing Camera (FC) so as to enable a clear correlation with specific geologic features. Hydrated mineral phases studied previously on Vesta generally correlate with low-albedo material delivered by carbonaceous asteroids. However, our analysis shows that the strongest OH signature in Av-10 is found in a unit west of Oppia, previously mapped as 'light mantle material' and showing moderate reflectance and a red visible slope. With the available data we cannot yet assess the presence of water in this material. However, we offer a possible explanation for its origin.

Asteroids↗
NASA NTRS1982

The geology of Mare Acidalium quadrangle Mars

The Mare Acidalium quadrangle is described. Mare Acidalium quadrangle lies between 30 - 60 N latitude and 0 - 60 W longitude. Materials that were used in mapping the quadrangle include Mariner and Viking single-frame images and photomosaics. Preliminary geologic mapping was done on five 1:2,000,000-scale photomosaics and selected higher resolution photomosaics. The data were then compiled on one sheet at a scale of 1:5,000,000. The Mariner 9 mission revealed a striking planetary dichotomy; high-standing, heavily-cratered terrain in the south that contrasts with low-lying, lightly-cratered terrain in the north. Both of these terrain types occur in Mare Acidalium quadrangle. The boundary separating the elevated cratered plateau from the lower plains is, in many places, an escarpment 1-2 km-high, however, in a few places where there is no escarpment, plains materials embay and overlap the heavily-cratered plateau material.

Witbeck, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Geology of Galileo Regio quadrangle, Ganymede

Galileo Regio quadrangle, including most of Galileo Regio, contains two basic geologic units: older dark, furrowed, and heavily cratered material and younger light, grooved, relatively less-cratered material. Dark material dominates, the light material occurring to the W and SW in about five percent of the quadrangle. Dominant structural features, of uncertain origin, are the NW-trending arcuate furrows and associated orthogonal and oblique furrows in the dark material; grooves in the light material are not as well-ordered nor as intensely developed as elsewhere on Ganymede. Fifteen palimpsests, located partly or totally in the quadrangle and representing the period when the crust became sufficiently strong to record impact events, are subdivided into three relative-age classes, as are the numerous impact craters, some of which are dome, moat, and rampart-like. Galileo Regio is believed to have formed when, because of cooling, differentiation, and expansion, the thin, weak, icy lithosphere broke into blocks and light material filled the space between, or overspread those blocks that subsided, or both. Grooves formed in most of the light material and both light and dark material were cratered by impact, the most recent of which created bright-ray craters, the youngest features visible in the quadrangle.

Underwood, James R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Geologic Mapping of Isabella Quadrangle (V-50) and Helen Planitia, Venus

(25-50 S, 180-210 E) is host to numerous coronae and small volcanic centers (paterae and shield fields), focused (Aditi and Sirona Dorsa) and distributed (penetrative north-south trending wrinkle ridges) contractional deformation, and radial and linear extensional structures, all of which contribute materials to and/or deform the expansive surrounding plains (Nsomeka and Wawalag Planitiae). Regional plains, which are a northern extension of regional plains mapped in the Barrymore Quadrangle V-59 [1], dominate the V-50 quadrangle. Previous mapping divided the regional plains into two members: regional plains, members a and b [2]. A re-evaluation of these members has determined that a continuous and consistent unit contact does not exist; however, the majority of this radar unit or surficial unit will still be displayed on the final map as a stipple pattern as it is a prevalent feature of the quadrangle. With minimal tessera or highland material, much of the quadrangle s oldest materials are plains units (the regional plains). Much of these plains are covered with small shield edifices that exhibit a variety of material contributions (or flows). In the northwest, several flows emerge and flow to the southeast from Diana-Dali Chasmata. Local corona- and mons-fed flows superpose the regional plains; however, earlier stages of volcano-tectonic centers marked by arcuate and radial structural elements, including terrain so heavily deformed that it takes on a new appearance, may have developed prior to or concurrently with the region plains. Northtrending deformation belts disrupt the central portion of the map area and wrinkle ridges parallel these larger belts. Isabella crater, in the northeastern quadrant, is highly asymmetric and displays two prominent ejecta blanket morphologies, which generally correlate with distance from the impact structure suggesting that ejecta block size or ejecta blanket thickness may be the cause. The crater floor is very dark and shows no direct connection with the large outflow to the south, which emphasizes the asymmetry observed. Isabella crater ejecta and outflow materials clearly postdate several small craters in the vicinity.

Bleamaster, Leslie F., III↗
NASA NTRS2009

Geological Map of the Fredegonde (V-57) Quadrangle, Venus

The area of V-57, the Fredegonde quadrangle (50-75degS, 60-120degE, Fig.1), is located within the eastern portion of Lada Terra within the topographic province of midlands (0-2 km above MPR [1,2]). Midlands form the most abundant portion of the surface of Venus and are characterized by diverse sets of units and structures [3-11]. The area of the Fredegonde quadrangle is in contact with the elevated portion of Lada Terra to the W and with the lowland of Aino Planitia to the NE. The transitions of the mid-lands to the lowlands and highlands are, thus, one of the main themes of the geology within the V-57 quadrangle. The character of the transitions and distribution and sequence of units/structures in the midlands are crucially important in understanding the time and modes of formation of this topographic province. The most prominent features in the map area are linear deformational zones consisting of swarms of grooves and graben and large coronae. The zones characterize the central and NW portions of the map area and represent regionally important, broad (up to 100s km wide) ridges that are 100s m high. Relatively small (100s km across, 100s m deep) equidimensional basins occur between the corona-groove-chains in the west and border the central chain from the east. Here we describe units that make up the surface within the V-57 quadrangle and present a summary of our geological map that shows the areal distribution of the major groups of units.

Ivanov, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Geologic Mapping of the Guinevere Planitia Quadrangle of Venus

The Guinevere Planitia quadrangle of Venus (0-25degN, 300-330deg) covers a lowland region east of Beta Regio and west of Eistla Regio, including parts of Guinevere and Undine Planitiae. The V-30 quadrangle is dominated by low-lying plains interpreted to be of volcanic origin and exhibiting numerous wrinkle ridges. Using Pioneer Venus, Goldstone, and Arecibo data, previous investigators have described radar bright, dark, and mottled plains units in the Guinevere Planitia region, as well as arcuate fracture zones and lineament belt segments that define the Beta-Eistla deformation zone [1-5]. Magellan SAR images show that volcanic landforms compose the majority of the surface units in V-30 [6-7]. The quadrangle contains parts of four major volcanoes: Atanua (9degN, 307deg), Rhpisunt (3degN, 302deg), Tuli (13degN, 314deg), and Var (3degN, 316deg) Montes, and three coronae: Hulda (12degN, 308deg), Madderakka (9degN, 316deg), and Poloznitsa (1degN, 303deg). Seymour crater, located at 18degN, 327deg, is associated with extensive crater outflow deposits.

Crown, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Fredegonde (V-57) Quadrangle, Venus: Characterization of the Venus Midlands

The Fredegonde quadrangle (V-57, 50-75degS, 60-120degE) in the southern hemisphere of Venus represents a typical region of midlands (0-2 km above MPR). Midlands are the most widespread topographic province on Venus (approx.80%) and display the richest variety of features. Geological mapping in the V-57 quadrangle provides the possibility of defining and characterizing units that make up a region of midlands and to establish the general sequence of events there and thus address questions about the modes of formation and chronology of midlands on Venus. The map area is in contact with the uplands in the central portion of Lada Terra to the west and the lowlands of Aino Planitia to the northeast. This position also provides a transitional zone between the other two major topographic provinces, similar to that of the Meskhent Tessera (V-3) area. Here we report on the results of our mapping in the V-57 quadrangle, describe the major features, units, and structural assemblages exposed there, and outline the main episodes of geologic history.

Ivanov, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Preliminary Geological Map of the Fortuna Tessera (V-2) Quadrangle, Venus

The Fortuna Tessera quadrangle (50-75 N, 0-60 E) is a large region of tessera [1] that includes the major portion of Fortuna and Laima Tesserae [2]. Near the western edge of the map area, Fortuna Tessera is in contact with the highest moun-tain belt on Venus, Maxwell Montes. Deformational belts of Sigrun-Manto Fossae (extensional structures) and Au ra Dorsa (contractional structures) separate the tessera regions. Highly deformed terrains correspond to elevated regions and mildly deformed units are with low-lying areas. The sets of features within the V-2 quadrangle permit us to address the following important questions: (1) the timing and processes of crustal thickening/thinning, (2) the nature and origin of tesserae and deformation belts and their relation to crustal thickening processes, (3) the existence or absence of major evolutionary trends of volcanism and tectonics. The key feature in all of these problems is the regional sequence of events. Here we present description of units that occur in the V-2 quadrangle, their regional correlation chart (Fig. 1), and preliminary geological map of the region (Fig. 2).

Ivanov, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Geology of the Marcia Quadrangle of Asteroid Vesta: Assessing the Effects of Large, Young Craters

We used Dawn spacecraft data to identify and delineate geological units and landforms in the Marcia quadrangle of Vesta as a means to assess the role of the large, relatively young impact craters Marcia (approximately 63 kilometers diameter) and Calpurnia (approximately 53 kilometers diameter) and their surrounding ejecta field on the local geology. We also investigated a local topographic high with a dark-rayed crater named Aricia Tholus, and the impact crater Octavia that is surrounded by a distinctive diffuse mantle. Crater counts and stratigraphic relations suggest that Marcia is the youngest large crater on Vesta, in which a putative impact melt on the crater floor ranges in age between approximately 40 and 60 million years (depending upon choice of chronology system), and Marcia's ejecta blanket ranges in age between approximately 120 and 390 million years (depending upon choice of chronology system). We interpret the geologic units in and around Marcia crater to mark a major Vestan time-stratigraphic event, and that the Marcia Formation is one of the geologically youngest formations on Vesta. Marcia crater reveals pristine bright and dark material in its walls and smooth and pitted terrains on its floor. The smooth unit we interpret as evidence of flow of impact melts and (for the pitted terrain) release of volatiles during or after the impact process. The distinctive dark ejecta surrounding craters Marcia and Calpurnia is enriched in OH- or H-bearing phases and has a variable morphology, suggestive of a complex mixture of impact ejecta and impact melts including dark materials possibly derived from carbonaceous chondrite-rich material. Aricia Tholus, which was originally interpreted as a putative Vestan volcanic edifice based on lower resolution observations, appears to be a fragment of an ancient impact basin rim topped by a dark-rayed impact crater. Octavia crater has a cratering model formation age of approximately 280-990 million years based on counts of its ejecta field (depending upon choice of chronology system), and its ejecta field is the second oldest unit in this quadrangle. The relatively young craters and their related ejecta materials in this quadrangle are in stark contrast to the surrounding heavily cratered units that are related to the billion years old or older Rheasilvia and Veneneia impact basins and Vesta's ancient crust preserved on Vestalia Terra.

Asteroid Vesta↗
NASA NTRS1973

Land use mapping and modelling for the Phoenix Quadrangle

The author has identified the following significant results. The land use of the Phoenix Quadrangle in Arizona had been mapped previously from aerial photographs and recorded in a computer data bank. During the ERTS experiment, changes in land use were detected, first with the ERTS-simulation photographs, then with the ERTS-1 images when they became available. In each case, the I2S color additive viewer was used as the primary image enhancement tool, operated in a multispectral mode. A search was made for a method of creating hard copy color composite images of the best combinations of multiband composites from ERTS-1, mostly by photographic and diazo processes. The I2S viewer was also used to enhance changes between successive images by quick flip techniques or by registering with different color filters. Improved interpretation of land use change resulted, and a map of changes in the Phoenix Quadrangle was compiled using magnified ERTS-1 images alone. The first level of a standard land use classification system was successfully used. Between the ERTS-1 images for August and November, some differences were detected that could be caused by seasonal characteristics of vegetation or by change in use.

Place, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Land use mapping and modelling for the Phoenix Quadrangle

The author has identified the following significant results. The land use of the Phoenix Quadrangle in Arizona had been mapped previously from aerial photographs and recorded in a computer data bank. During the ERTS-1 experiment, changes in land use were detected using only the ERTS-1 images. The I2S color additive viewer was used as the principal image enhancement tool, operated in a multispectral mode. Hard copy color composite images of the best multiband combinations from ERTS-1 were made by photographic and diazo processes. The I2S viewer was also used to enhance changes between successive images by quick flip techniques or by registering with different color filters. More recently, a Bausch and Lomb zoom transferscope has been used for the same purpose. Improved interpretation of land use change resulted, and a map of changes within the Phoenix Quadrangle was compiled. The first level of a proposed standard land use classification system was sucessfully used. ERTS-1 underflight photography was used to check the accuracy of the ERTS-1 image interpretation. It was found that the total areas of change detected in the photos were comparable with the total areas of change detected in the ERTS-1 images.

Place, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Change in land use in the Phoenix (1:250,000) Quadrangle, Arizona between 1970 and 1973: ERTS as an aid in a nationwide program for mapping general land use

Changes in land use between 1970 and 1973 in the Phoenix (1:250,000 scale) Quadrangle in Arizona have been mapped using only the images from ERTS-1, tending to verify the utility of a standard land use classification system proposed for use with ERTS images. Types of changes detected have been: (1) new residential development of former cropland and rangeland; (2) new cropland from the desert; and (3) new reservoir fill-up. The seasonal changing of vegetation patterns in ERTS has complemented air photos in delimiting the boundaries of some land use types. ERTS images, in combination with other sources of information, can assist in mapping the generalized land use of the fifty states by the standard 1:250,000 quadrangles. Several states are already working cooperatively in this type of mapping.

Place, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A geologic evaluation of thermal properties for the Elysium and Aeolis quadrangles of Mars

The results of an analysis of high-resolution thermal inertia data (obtained with the IR Thermal Mapper) for the Elysium and Aeolis quadrangles of Mars are presented. The results indicate that aeolian features, both with dark and light albedos relative to their surroundings, have thermal inertias higher than that of the surrounding terrains. On the other hand, terrains with distinctive surface relief do not have distinguishable thermal properties, even when these terrains can be spatially resolved from surrounding units. Thermal inertias for individual geologic units within the two quadrangles appear to be more strongly controlled by the location of the terrain in either the northern plains or the southern highlands than by properties intrinsic to the unit. The similarity of regional thermal properties observed at both high and low spatial resolutions indicates a regional homogeneity of much of the Martian surface at scales larger than 5 km.

Zimbelman, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Structural geology and geological history of the Perrine and Nun Sulci Quadrangles (Jg-2 and Jg-5), Ganymede

Grooves are the dominant structural features on Ganymede. While single grooves are found in many areas, it is somewhat more common to find them grouped together in groove sets (groupings of grooves with common structural trends). It is generally believed that the grooves are extensional features. Their underlying geologic nature cannot be determined from Voyager images, however. It appears likely that they are grabens, but the images are insufficient to rule out the possibility that they are modified extension fractures or some kind of ductile necking features. The oldest materials within the Nun Sulci and Perrine quadrangles occur within the cratered dark materials unit, as is generally the case for all of Ganymede. This is the most widespread of the dark units mapped in these two quadrangles. Crater densities within cratered dark materials are consistent with an age on the order of several billion years, and thus cratered dark terrain probably represents crust that has survived from the end of the primordial intense bombardment phase of solar system history. The brief geologic history is greatly oversimplified as a result of the poor resolution and unfavorable viewing geometry of the images covering the area.

Mcgill, George E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Stratigraphy of the Perrine and Nun Sulci quadrangles (Jg-2 and Jg-5), Ganymede

Dark and light terrain materials in the Perrine and Nun Sulci quadrangles are divided into nine map units, four dark, and five light. These are placed in time-stratigraphic sequence primarily by means of embayment and cross-cutting relationships. Dark terrain is generally more heavily cratered and thus older that light terrain but, at least in these quadrangles, crater densities are not reliable indicators of relative ages among the four dark material units. The four mapped material units within dark terrain are: cratered dark materials (dc), grooved dark materials (dg), transitional dark materials (di), and dark materials, undivided (d). The five mapped units within light terrain are: intermediate light materials (li), grooved light materials (lg), irregularly grooved light materials (lgl), smooth light materials (ls), and light materials, undivided.

Mcgill, George E.↗