Figure 5

A series of observations showing the potential existence of mud volcanoes and diapirs. (a) Morphological map highlighting possible mud volcanoes (orange dots) and diapirs (white circles), with their distribution limited to the plains and inter-mesa surfaces and absent on the mesas (red-shaded areas). (b) Detailed view of a pitted cone (potential mud volcano, white arrow) adjacent to a probable eruptive deposit with retreat margins extending to the cone's edges (red arrows). An adjacent dome-like structure, possibly a diapir, is denoted by the blue arrow. (c) A proposed eroded diapir potentially exposing finely layered strata that have been tilted upwards during buoyant ascension (blue arrow). (d) Another possible diapir forming a dome of uplifted floor materials (blue arrow). (e) View of eastern Hydraotes Chaos, displaying breakaway ridges and troughs, potentially exposing deep highland stratigraphy. (f) Detailed image from panel (e), pinpointing potential diapirs (blue arrows). (a) The map's base is an overlaid HRSC-MOLA DEM on a MOLA shaded relief (200 m/pixel; credit: MOLA data—NASA, HRSC data—ESA/DLR/FU Berlin). (b) An HRSC-MOLA DEM (200 m/pixel; credit: MOLA data—NASA, HRSC data—ESA/DLR/FU Berlin) overlaid on a section of a CTX mosaic (6 m/pixel; credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems; reference⁴⁸) (source: https://www.msss.com/mro/marci/images/tips/mediatips.html). (c) A CTX stereopair-derived DEM overlaid on a section of a CTX mosaic (6 m/pixel; credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems; reference⁴⁸) (source: https://www.msss.com/mro/marci/images/tips/mediatips.html). (d–f) An HRSC-MOLA DEM (200 m/pixel; credit: MOLA data—NASA, HRSC data—ESA/DLR/FU Berlin) overlaid on a section of a CTX mosaic (6 m/pixel; credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems; reference⁴⁸) (source: https://www.msss.com/mro/marci/images/tips/mediatips.html).