Tectonic Origin of Pit Chains (Iceland)

Ferrill, D. A., D. Y. Wyrick and K. J. Smart, 2011, Coseismic, 
dilational-fault and extensionfracture related pit chain 
formation in Iceland: Analog for pit chains on Mars.
Lithosphere. vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 133-142.
http://lithosphere.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/3/2/133
http://lithosphere.gsapubs.org/content/3/2/133.abstract

"...pit craters are readily explained by movement of poorly 
consolidated material downward into subterranean cavities 
produced by dilational fault and extension-fracture dilation 
in underlying cohesive material (basalt). Directly analogous 
geomorphic patterns on Mars and other planetary bodies that 
are visible in high-resolution surface imagery suggest that 
similar mechanisms of deformation and surface collapse 
may be at work on Mars and, potentially, other planetary 
bodies." - http://www.geosociety.org/news/pr/11-07.htm

Pit Crater Chain South of Arsia Mons by Circe Verba, May
13, 2009, Hirise, The University of Arizona.
http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_011677_1655

Related publications are:

Ferrill, D. A., D. Y. Wyrick, A. P. Morris, D. W. Sims and 
N. M. Franklin, 2004, Dilational fault slip and pit chain 
formation on Mars. GSA Today; v. 14; no. 10, pp. 4-12.
PDF file at:
http://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/14/10/pdf/i1052-5173-14-10-4.pdf

Ferrill, D. A., D. Y. Wyrick and K. J. Smart, 2008, Coseismic 
Pit Crater, Normal Fault, and Extensional Fissure 
Formation in Unconsolidated Sediment and Basalt in 
Northern Iceland. American Geophysical Union, Fall 
Meeting 2008, abstract #T24A-05
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008AGUFM.T24A..05F
http://adsabs.harvard.edu//abs/2008AGUFM.T24A..05F
Yours,

Paul H.