Andrews-Hanna: Planetary Geophysics

Bridge to Mars:
Planetary Geophysics Group
Colorado School of Mines
Department of Geophysics

Jeff Andrews-Hanna
Assistant Professor
Dept of Geophysics
Green Center, Rm 280K

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I use of a combination of numerical modeling, analysis of gravity and topography, and geomorphology to understand the interaction of a variety of processes responsible for shaping the surfaces and interiors of Mars and the terrestrial planets. I’m particularly interested in the interaction of geodynamic, tectonic, volcanic, climatic, and hydrologic processes at a variety of scales. Much of my research is focused in two main areas: processes involving liquid water on and beneath the surface of Mars, and the tectonic and geodynamic evolution of Mars.

For a list of references, click here

A brief discussion of some of my individual research projects follows.

**click on the images for more information on individual projects
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	Martian hemispheric dichotomy: I am investigating the possibility that the dichotomy between the southern highlands and northern lowlands may have been the result of a giant impact.
	Strike-slip faults on Mars: I have mapped a new population of ancient strike-slip faults on Mars and used them to shed light on the thermal and tectonic evolution of the planet.
	Meridiani Planum: The MER Opportunity rover has found evidence for evaporites at Meridiani. I am using global scale hydrological models to understand the origin of these deposits and their implications for the history of water and climate on Mars.
	Mars south polar cap density: I am using a combination of MOLA topography, gravity data from the MRO spacecraft, and radar sounding from MARSIS to calculate the density of the south polar layered deposits on Mars.
	Giant impact basins: The surfaces of Mars and the Moon are marred by several giant impact basins, including Hellas, Utopia, and the South Pole-Aitken basin. I am trying to understand why these basins appear the way they do.
	Martian outflow channel floods: Many of the martian outflow channels originate in regions of disrupted ground called "chaos regions". I have used numerical modeling to show that these floods would likely have been periodic.
	Earthquake-triggered floods on Mars: Several Martian outflow channels originate within tectonic features (including Mangala and Athabasca Valles). I have demonstrated that the tectonism itself could have pressurized the aquifers and directly caused the flooding.
	Climate change and hydrology: It has been suggested that dramatic changes in the Martian climate could have triggered the outflow channel floods. In modeling this process I have found that the required pore pressures and flood volumes could not likely be produced by this mechanism alone.

Publications and Presentations

Peer-reviewed

Andrews-Hanna, J.C., M.T. Zuber, and S. A. Hauck, "Strike-slip faults on Mars: Observations and implications for the global tectonics and geodynamics", J. Geophys. Res. 113, E08002, doi:10.1029/2007JE002980.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C., M.T. Zuber, and W.B. Banerdt, "The Borealis basin and the origin of the martian crustal dichotomy", Nature, 453, 1212-1215.
M.T. Zuber, R.J. Phillips, J.C. Andrews-Hanna, S.W. Asmar, A.S. Konopliv, F.G. Lemoine, J.J. Plaut, D.E. Smith, and S.E. Smrekar, "Density of Mars’ South Polar Layered Deposits", Science, 317, 1718-1719, 2007.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C., R.J. Phillips, and M.T. Zuber "Meridiani Planum and the global hydrology of Mars", Nature 446 (7132), 163-166, 2007.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C. and R.J. Phillips "Hydrological modeling of outflow channels and chaos regions on Mars", J. Geophys. Res., 112, E08001, doi:10.1029/2006JE002881, 2007.
Wang, C.Y., M. Manga, and J.C. Hanna ” Gephys. Res. Lett., 33, L20202, doi:10.1029/2006GL027471, 2006.

Hanna, J.C. “The hydrology of Mars: An integrated tectonic, volcanic, climatic, and geodynamic approach” Ph.D. Thesis, Washington University in St. Louis, 2006.

Hanna, J.C. and R.J. Phillips. “Tectonic pressurization of aquifers in the formation of Mangala and Athabasca Valles, Mars" J. Geophys. Res. 111 (E3), E03003, 10.1029/2005JE002546, 2006.
Hanna, J.C. and R.J. Phillips. “Hydrological modeling of the Martian crust with application to the pressurization of aquifers.” J. Geophys. Res. 110 (E1), E01004, 10.1029/2004JE002330, 2005.

Presentations and abstracts

J.C. Andrews-Hanna "The opening of the Valles Marineris canyons on Mars: Stress focusing along the buried dichotomy boundary beneath Tharsis", 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1094, 2009.
J.C. Andrews-Hanna and M.T. Zuber, "The dichotomy forming impact on Mars: Evidence and implications", Meeting on the Early Solar System Impact Bombardment, abstract #3015, 2008.
J.C. Andrews-Hanna, M.T. Zuber, and W.B. Banerdt, "The Martian dichotomy: An elliptical impact basin?", 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1980, 2008.
J.C. Andrews-Hanna, M.T. Zuber, and R.J. Phillips, "Early Mars hydrology: Valley networks and evaporites", 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1993, 2008.
A.J. Evans, J.C. Andrews-Hanna, and M.T. Zuber, "Lithospheric flexure as a consequence of possible erosion in Arabia Terra, Mars", 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1214, 2008.
S.M. Wiseman, R.E. Arvidson, S. Murchie, F. Poulet, J.C. Andrews-Hanna, R.V. Morris, F.P. Seelos, and the CRISM Team, "Phyllosilicate and hydrated sulfate deposits in Meridiani", 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1806, 2008.
K.A. Lichtenberg, R.E. Arvidson, S. Murchie, L.H. Roach, J.C. Andrews-Hanna, E. Noe Dobrea, and J. Mustard, "Structural and geologic relationships between igneous rocks and their alteration products in Xanthe Terra, Mars", 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract #1390, 2008.
Wiseman, S., Arvidson, Murchie, Poulet, Morris, McEwen, and J.C. Andrews-Hanna, "Juxtaposition of layered sulfate and phyllosilicate deposits, Meridiani Planum, Mars", Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, 2007.
Zuber, M.T., Phillips, R.J., J.C. Andrews-Hanna,, S.A. Asmar, A.S. Konopliv, F.G. Lemoine, J.J. Plaut, D.E. Smith, and S.E. Smrekar, "Density of Mars' South Polar Layered Deposits", Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, 2007.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C., and M.T. Zuber, "The Martian crustal dichotomy: Evidence for a giant impact", GSA Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 39, No. 6, abstract 164-9 2007.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C., M.T. Zuber, and R.J. Phillips, "Meridiani Planum: Implications for the hydrologic and climatic evolution of Mars", 7th Int'l Conf. on Mars, 2007.
Andrews-Hanna, J.C. and M.T. Zuber