Martian tectonic systems: investigating structural interactions of Tempe Terra and the Tharsis Rise

An understanding of the tectonic evolution of Mars underpins our interpretation of the planet’s volcanic and climatic history – and central to our understanding of Martian tectonics is the development of the Tharsis Rise volcanotectonic province. However, the timing and mechanism of Tharsis’s evolution remain uncertain. Within Tharsis, the region of Tempe Terra provides an excellent opportunity to study the deformation associated with Tharsis and thus helps to address these unresolved questions. In this thesis, I use detailed surface structural mapping of extensional features to characterise the tectonic evolution of Tempe Terra, explore deformation associated with the Tharsis Rise, and test alternative mapping methods for similar purposes in the future. I found that structures in Tempe Terra are younger than previously thought and are driven by magmatic activity from a variety of regional and local sources, indicating not all structures are a reflection of stress from Tharsis. I subsequently propose new criteria for Tharsis formation models in terms of structures in Tempe Terra, offer evidence supporting a later evolution of the Tharsis Rise and long-lived volcanism, and provide a viable alternative mapping method to improve the efficiency of future tectonic studies that could further benefit our understanding of Tharsis, and Mars more generally.