Age Determination of Martian Low Shield Volcanoes by Crater Size-Frequency Measurements

Based on high-resolution images of the current NASA-spacecraft Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the technique to determine absolute ages of planetary surfaces by impact crater counts is demonstrated. The results will be useful to interpret geologic processes on the planet's surface, such as the history of volcanic activity. This paper describes the statistical technique for a low shield volcano in the Tharsis region and its adjacent plains with the discussion of the results and problems. Planetary remote sensing data are processed and prepared for the later use in GIS environments and statistical analysis. The crater counts were done independently with two different cameras, which provided comparable results. The derived absolute ages are in good agreement with the results of earlier works.