Cydonia: An Argument for Volcanic Origin.

Abstract:

A detailed analysis of the structures on and around the "Face" at Cydonia suggests a multiple event volcanic origin. Evidence of the plate tectonic processes of subduction, spreading and volcanism can be seen in miniature.

Introduction:



Figure 1



Figure 2

Figure 1 includes the Cydonia region as well as at least three volcanic vents that show signs of multiple eruptions. Cydoina is in the lower left quadrant of the image and appears well within the area of lava flow. The lava appears to have its origin in a volcano almost 1300 miles to the east-northeast. The red boundaries mark the apparent edge of the flow and the red arrows indicate the proposed direction of flow. To the south and east of Cydonia is surface that is more heavily cratered and most likely older

Cydonia has the appearance of a peninsula that broke apart. Figure 2 is a closer look at Cydonia. The south end of the peninsula is mostly still intact. The north end has broken up. There are many angular, even square looking pieces. A mechanism that would bring about such structures would be a recent lava flow with a hardened surface and fluid beneath. With the next eruption from the volcano, the hardened surface would tend to be undercut and would start breaking up. Each piece would react to the flow of new lava under and about it in its own way. Figure 3 shows several pieces including, in the upper left, the one commonly known as "The Face".



Figure 3

Image courtesy
Malin Space Science Systems (Copyright 1995)



Figure 4

As the new eruption starts to subside a new crust of hardened lava would start to form. A much large piece of older crust, being pushed along by the continuing, yet subsiding, flow of lava could tend to have its leading edge pushed under the newly formed crust. Figure 4 shows a large block that apears to have had its upper right corner subducted under newly formed crust. Several slabs of crust can be seen across the upper edge and down the right side, See Figure 4a. There is what appears to be a trough around much of the left and lower sides. See Figure 4b. This spreading would be expected when a large block of lava was being pushed along by lava flowing under a newly formed thin crust.

One would expect a large block of lava to be flat on top. Lava, being a liquid to start makes a very flat surface; almost as flat as the bottoms of oceans. Yet, "The Face" has hills and valleys on what looks like a very flat surface. The subduction process can account for these hills. As the block of lava was being pushed along, its leading edge being pushed under the newly forming crust, slabs of crust would start to pile up on the top of the block. At the same time, the bottom of the leading edge would be being forced down into the harder surface over which the lava was flowing. This would cause a damming effect. With the lava slabs on top of the block, still hot from just being lifted out of the molten flow, softening the block from the top and the dammed flow melting up through the interior, volcanic flows would soon start. At first the flows would continue the hill building. But, as the flow increased, the hills would start to erode. With ongoing hill formation on the right side of the block, the flow path off the block would be to the left. Figure 4c and Figure 4d show evidence on just such flow. Figure 4c shows an area where the flow was hot enough to erode away some of the block. Figure 4d shows an area of cooler flow. Here material was deposited.

Up Date May 2001



Figure 5
Click on the Letter for more detail.

Image Source
NASA's Planetary Photojournal
and
Other NASA Images

Medium Size Image 225K
Full Size Image 1.99M

It dosen't look the same does it? The viewing angle is different. The newer image, Figure 5, is closer to being right above the Face than the image in Figure 4. Figure 5 is off vertical by 24.8 degrees where as Figure 4 is off by 45.

The above argument still holds. The Face and the Cydonia plane are the result of massive volcanic action.

The pointers designated "A" point to slabs of lava crust thirty to fifty meters thick under which the large lava block subducted. At the time the flow of lava around the slab was much higher. The slab was likely over half submerged. Around the perimitor of the slabs it can be seen where they melted into now solitified lava ozzing up throuth the interior of the block. The pointers decignated "B" point to two vents out of which flowed lava to build up the hills that dominate the center of the Face. When the flow around the block of lava was much higher, one tongue of lava slab reached over the top of the hill between the two lava vents. Hot lava flowed out from under the slab and over the top to erode a depression on the left side of the hill. See pointer "C".

As the flow supsided the lava flowing off the left side of the block crusted over. Flow continues out from under this crust as seen at "D". At "E" evidence of spreading can be seen and at "F" a section of crust broke away leaving just a fragment or two still on the side of the hill. If one allows some imagination, the large fragment can be a horn and to the left is the face of a bull.

At the upper pointer of "G" is a vent with a flow pattern to the right and down the slop of the lava block. The lower pointer of "G" is to the fan tail formed on the hill side. Here again, with a little imagination, we can see a fish. The fan tail is the tail of the fish. Above this is a double pointed dorsal fin. To the left of this is the face of the fish.

There is evidence of more recent fluid flow at "H" that is similar to flows seen at other locations on Mars.

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