Morphology and Hydrological Context of the McCauley Crater Delta, Mars

Abstract McCauley crater hosts a well-preserved delta in a palaeolake northeast of the Hellas Basin on Mars. Its formation records hydrological activity possibly driven by episodic glacial meltwater input. Morphological analyses of image and topographic data sets reveal a gently sloping delta with inverted channels and superposed boulders, indicative of variable depositional energy and repeated flow events. Hydraulic reconstruction suggests delta accumulation occurred over an active duration of ∼25 kyr, pointing to a stable lacustrine environment capable of sustaining fluvial activity under cold conditions that could have supported habitable environments.