Martian Crater Topography

Images of various Martian craters showing intricate landscapes, including gullies, landslides, and channel formations as captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey.

This unnamed crater near Timoshenko Crater has been breached by a channel

This image shows part of the southern flank of Ascraeus Mons. The feature at the bottom of the image is a collapse feature. These features can be caused by several processes. The ceiling of lava tubes can collapse into the open space left after the last flow. Tectonic activity can occur, and blocks of material can drop down between faults. The tectonic features are called graben. All three of the Tharsis volcanoes (Ascraeus, Pavonis and Arsia mons) are aligned along a northeast/southwest trend. The largest region of collapse features on each of the three volcanoes are located along this trend. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up

This region of Terra Sabaea contains areas with high densities of small craters

Off the western flank of Elysium are the Hephaestus Fossae, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey, with linear arrangements of small, round pits. These features are commonly called 'pit chains' and most likely represent the collapse of lava tubes.

The lava flows seen in the VIS image are located on the northeastern flank of Olympus Mons. The lavas flowed from the lower left side of the image to the upper right. Orbit Number 72356 Latitude 19.9937 Longitude 231.845 Instrument VIS Captured 2018-04-06 23 41

The impact crater observed in this NASA Mars Odyssey image taken in Terra Cimmeria suggests sediments have filled the crater due to the flat and smooth nature of the floor compared to rougher surfaces at higher elevations.

The steep sided depressions in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are fault bounded tectonic features called graben.

The lava flows in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the eastern flank of Olympus Mons.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a section of Reull Vallis, a major channel that empties into Hellas Planitia.

Do you see what I see in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft The head of an eagle, with it's sharp beak, looks towards the bottom of the image.

This image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey shows dark slope streaks in an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea.

$Located in Solis Planum, this unusual volcanic flow has margins darker than the surroundings. It appears that the flow originated in the linear fracture or vent that bisects the flow deposit. This image was captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey.$

$These curved fractures are located on the margin between Memnonia Fossae and Elysium Planitia$

What appear to be channels in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey is the dissection of the higher elevations on the margin of Chryse Chaos. Continued dissection eventually creates the block/mesa forms termed chaos on Mars.

Dark slope streaks are found everywhere on the inner rim of this unnamed crater in Arabia Terra in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

The channels in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are part of Hebrus Valles.

The movement pathways of molten rock, or lava, is demonstrated in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft of a portion of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is located in Noachis Terra. The unnamed crater at the bottom of the image contains a central pit.

The region southwest of Olympus Mons is covered with materials that have been eroded by the wind. Surface materials in this area indicate wind action in many different directions as shown in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey.

Dusty Top of Alba Patera Volcano

The pits in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are collapse features on the northern flank of Ascraeus Mons.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows two small tributaries, just east of where they join Shalbatana Vallis.

THEMIS Images as Art #37

Crater Deformation

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey image shows a small portion of the southern flank of Alba Mons.

Today's VIS image shows a small section of Nirgal Vallis. Nirgal Vallis is located in Noachis Terra. Orbit Number 74561 Latitude -27.9987 Longitude 319.355 Instrument VIS Captured 2018-10-05 14 39

Isidis Crater Landslide

Samara Vallis

Newton Crater

Western Gusev

These arcuate ridges are appearing as wind erosion removes the less resistant surface materials. This terrain is located on the northern end of Gordii Dorsum

Valleys on the Ejecta Blanket from Cerulli Crater

Crater Dunes

$The cliff face in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft was created by tectonic activity and is located in a region of Tempe Terra that is complexly fractured.$

Channels dissect the hillside of Terra Sirenum in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of an unnamed crater in Arabia Terra.

Moving eastward across the southern part of Gale Crater, this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the easternmost arc of the channel deposit at the far left edge. Towards the bottom of the frame are sand dunes.

Do you see what I see in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft The group of craters at the bottom of the image look like a muppet.

Faults and Folds in Western Candor Chasma

Wind Streaks in Syrtis Major

This unnamed crater in Utopia Planitia is shaped like a peanut shell, with an indentation in the crater rim at the middle of the crater. It is likely that this crater was created by a dual impact. In a dual (or double) impact the incoming meteor is broken into two or more pieces which impact together into the surface. This type of impact often has a unique ejecta blanket shape, pinched at the center making a butterfly shape, and a pronounced inner rim jutting out at the center. The ejecta blanket in this case does not show the butterfly shape, and the middle rim is on slightly visible on the left side of the crater. These irregularities may indicate the the meteor pieces were still very close together when they hit the surface. Orbit Number 95144 Latitude 31.6611 Longitude 128.303 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-05-27 11 12

Ascraeus Mons

This image shows a small part of Meridiani Planum, the site of the Opportunity Rover

The windstreaks in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the volcanic plains of Daedalia Planum.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a section of Sabis Vallis.

Apollinaris Patera

This VIS image is located in the northern portion of Hephaestus Fossae. Hephaestus Fossae is a complex channel system in Utopia Planitia near Elysium Mons. It has been proposed that the channels formed by the release of melted subsurface ice during the impact event that created a large crater southeast of this image. Additionally, the nearby Elysium volcanic center created subsurface heating that may have played a part in creating both Hephaestus Fossae and Hebrus Valles to the north. The right angle intersections indicate there is some tectonic activity in the region, and the circular depressions indicate surface collapse into subsurface voids. Hephaestus Fossae is a very complex set of features. Orbit Number 88618 Latitude 22.2991 Longitude 121.441 Instrument VIS Captured 2021-12-06 02 47

This positive relief feature in the ancient highlands of Mars, imaged by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, appears to be a heavily eroded volcanic center. The top of the feature appears to be under attack by the erosive forces of the Martian wind.

Back by popular demand: THEMIS ART IMAGE #63 Seattle Seahawk fans may recognize their team emblem in the collapse region around this crater

Today's VIS image shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the three large aligned volcanoes in the Tharsis region. Arsia Mons last eruption was 10s of million years ago. The youngest volcano in the region is Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system. Orbit Number 74945 Latitude -18.9808 Longitude 225.731 Instrument VIS Captured 2018-11-06 05 00

Plains West of Viking Lander 2

Do you see what I see in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft These three side-by-side craters increase in size toward the bottom of the image. Looks like a snowman, only his eyes are missing.

This VIS image shows Gasa Crater located on the floor of a larger unnamed crater Eridania Planitia. Gullies dissect the rims of both craters. Orbit Number 83302 Latitude -35.6906 Longitude 129.494 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-09-24 09 28

The parallel sides and low interior seen in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are faults and down-dropped material between the faults. This tectonic feature is called a graben. The graben in this image is located in Daedalia Planum.

Gusev Crater

The predominant feature in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft is a large flooded crater. Are the flows lava or mud Scientists don't agree.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows dust devil tracks in Noachis Terra. The dark tracks show where the whirlwind was in contact with the surface and removed dust to expose the darker rocky surface.

String Section

Mantling Material on Crater Floor

Kasei Valles

The linear depressions in this VIS image are part of Sirenum Fossae. These depressions are called graben, which form by the down drop of material between two parallel faults. The faults are caused by tectonic stresses in the region. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long. Orbit Number 83493 Latitude -32.8399 Longitude 204.159 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-10-10 02 18

$This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft of the Claritas Fossae region illustrates how fractures affect other features. In this instance, the fractures control the path of several channels (from upper right towards lower left).$

This image taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a classic example of a Martian impact crater with a central peak. Central peaks are common in large, fresh craters on both Mars and the Moon.

Crater Low

The linear features in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are graben (fault bounded depressions). The graben are part of Sirenum Fossae.

Reull Vallis

This VIS image shows a section of Nanedi Valles. Located In Xanthe Terra, the channel system is 508 km (315 miles) long. Nanedi Valles contains two large channels that join together as the elevation drops near Chryse Planitia. Orbit Number 87763 Latitude 1.08634 Longitude 310.73 Instrument VIS Captured 2021-09-26 17 02

Channel

Located on the southern part of the Elysium Mons Volcanic region the channels in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey were likely formed by the flow of lava.

Granicus Valles

Crater Dunes

Like drippings from a candle, these lava flows on the flank of Olympus Mons volcano, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, demonstrate how it became the largest volcano in the solar system.

This doublet crater looks like a melting snowman tipped on his side.Warmth is in the air, as the southern hemisphere of Mars enters spring

The teardrop-shaped 'island' in this image was formed by the flow of fluid lava rather than liquid water

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the extensive lava flows that make up Daedalia Planum.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a lava flow that topped the rim of an impact crater and flowed down to the floor of the crater.

Gullies and Arcuate Ridges

This image shows part of the southeastern flank of Arsia Mons, including the flat lying flows around the base of the volcano. These flows are located at the bottom of the image. Numerous small lava channels are visible aligned sub-parallel to the base of the volcano. Several narrow, lobate flows show the downslope direction from the top left of the image towards the bottom right. Running against this elevation change are large paired faults called graben. Graben form by faults that have allowed the material between them to slide down. The resultant topography is a linear depression. None of the lobate flows enter and then run along the fault valley, indicating that the faulting occurred after the lava flows. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes. It is 270 miles (450km) in diameter, almost 12 miles (20km) high, and the summit caldera is 72 miles (120km) wide. For comparison, the largest volcano on Earth is Mauna Loa. From its base on the sea floor, Mauna Loa measures

Located east of Elysium Mons, Elysium Fossae is a large tectonic graben. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows that lava may have flowed in the channel feature.

Numerous dark slope streaks mark the complex inner rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows some of the dunes of the floor of Moreux Crater.

This image taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows the southeastern flank of Hecates Tholus, the northernmost volcano of the Elysium Volcanic complex.

Bosporus Planum, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, is located in a region of smooth plains that appear to have formed from lava flows.

This small, unnamed channel is located in Arabia Terra

This anaglyph image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows the topography of asteroid Vesta's south polar region. The material at the base of the scarp (right side) is probably due to landsliding.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows one of the many graben that make up Labeatis Fossae.

Pedestal Crater in the Medusa Fossae Formation

Scientists created this stereo view, called an anaglyph, with two images of the same part of Ceres's surface taken by Dawn on different orbits and from different viewing angles. The images were artificially colored and combined so that when viewed through glasses with a red filter on the left and blue on the right, they provide a 3-D view. The images used in this anaglyph were obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft from an altitude of about 22 miles (35 kilometers). The center of this image is located at about 18.9 degrees north latitude and 239.4 degrees east longitude.

Today's VIS images shows part of the south polar cap. The cap was created over millions of years with deposition of ice and dust during different seasons, creating the layers seen in this image. This image was collected during summer at the south pole. The south polar cap is called Australe Planum. Orbit Number 83915 Latitude -86.5552 Longitude 149.181 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-11-13 20 32

This VIS image shows part of Athabasca Valles. Arising from Cerberus Fossae, the formation mode of this channel is still being debated. While the channel features are similar to water flow, other features are similar to lava flows, and then other features have an appearance of slabs of material that floated on a underlying fluid. This is just one of the complex channel formations in the Elysium Planitia region. Orbit Number 78297 Latitude 8.93976 Longitude 155.611 Instrument VIS Captured 2019-08-09 06 58

Shalbatana Vallis dominates this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Candidate Cavern Entrance Northeast of Arsia Mons

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