Resolving the Elysium Controversy: An open invitation to explain the evidence

The origin of Mars’ Elysium-Amazonis plain has been the subject of debate for three decades, with a flood-volcanic origin the majority view today. Stratigraphical observations indicate that this view, based mainly on form analogy with Earth, is in error. A general unwillingness to engage with these observations in published work is detrimental not only to wider perceptions of planetary geology, often viewed as little more than the science of resemblance as a consequence, but also to superposed theories of surface chronology and source of the young martian meteorites, which are characterised by inconsistency and paradox as a result. Adherents to the volcanic hypothesis must convincingly explain how the observed field-relations are consistent with a lava surface across this region, or accept that these deposits are not what they currently believe them to be.