New Detections of Feldspar‐Bearing Volcanic Rocks in the Walls of Valles Marineris, Mars

Plagioclase-bearing rocks were first detected in the vicinity of large impact basins on Mars using visible/near-infrared (VNIR) data. The geologic context is consistent with excavated plutons or ancient crustal outcrops. Our analyses reveal plagioclase outcrops exposed a 200 m thick, sub-horizontal layer 8 km deep walls Valles Marineris canyon. These plagioclase-bearing are either sill, volcano-clastic layer, porphyritic lava flow, contrast previous understanding that feldspar signatures must be indicative nearly pure, anorthositic inherited from primary flotation crust granitoids plutonic activity continental crust. We present here evidence possibly effusive, volcanic bearing VNIR spectral signatures, expanding setting these unique and uncommon martian to include multiple lithologies. This has direct implications for magmatic processes nature its