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Martian Geological Features

Images depicting various geological formations on Mars including faults, grabens, and lava flows, showcasing textures and structures in grayscale.

This VIS image is located in the central portion of Hephaestus Fossae. Hephaestus Fossae is a complex channel system in Utopia Planitia near Elysium Mons. It has been proposed that the channel 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. Orbit Number 82079 Latitude 18.8004 Longitude 124.5724 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-06-15 16 56
This VIS image is located in the central portion of Hephaestus Fossae. Hephaestus Fossae is a complex channel system in Utopia Planitia near Elysium Mons. It has been proposed that the channel 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. Orbit Number 82079 Latitude 18.8004 Longitude 124.5724 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-06-15 16 56
168 assets in this story
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Dunes in the Vastitas Borealis region of Mars are seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. These sand seas migrate around the north polar cap following the strong polar vortex winds.
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Siton Undae is a large dune field located in the northern plains near Escorial Crater. Siton Undae is west of the crater and is one of three dune fields near the crater. The nearby north polar cap is dissected by Chasma Boreale, which exposes an ice free surface. This image shows part of the center of the dune field. In this image the crescent nature of the individual dunes can be see in the lower left portion of the image. As the dunes coalesce the crescent form is lost. 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 a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside crate
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Ius and Tithonium Chasmata are located at the western end of Valles Marineris. Tithonium Chasma is north of Ius Chasma. Valles Marineris is over 4000 kilometers long (2495 miles), almost as wide as the United States. Ius Chasma is almost 840 kilometers long (522 miles), 120 kilometers wide and over 8 kilometers deep. Tithonium Chasma is 803 km (499 miles) long. In comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is about 175 kilometers long (109 miles), 30 kilometers wide, and only 2 kilometers deep. The canyons of Valles Marineris were formed by extensive fracturing and pulling apart of the crust during the uplift of the vast Tharsis plateau. Landslides have enlarged the canyon walls and created deposits on the canyon floor. Weathering of the surface and influx of dust and sand have modified the canyon floor, both creating and modifying layered materials. There are many features that indicate flowing and standing water played a part in the chasma formation. The rugged floor of Ius Chasma (lowe
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This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show part of the dune field located on the floor of Rabe Crater.
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Polar Layers
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Peering at Phoebe
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Windstreaks
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Flowing Liquids on Titan
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Tantalus Fossae. Tantalus Fossae is a set of long valleys on the eastern side of Alba Mons. These valleys are referred to as graben and are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Numerous sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The large number of graben around Alba Patera is generally believed to be the result of extensional forces associated with the uplift of Alba Mons.
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Hundreds of sand dunes are visible as dark lines snaking across the surface of Titan as seen by NASA's Cassini spacecraft's Radar Mapper.
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Dunes cover the floor of this unnamed crater in the northern lowlands in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey.
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Today's VIS image shows volcanic flows and fractures between Arsia Mons and Pavonis Mons in the Tharsis volcanic region. The fractures - termed graben - follow the northeast/southwest trend of the three large Tharsis volcanoes. Orbit Number 89113 Latitude -7.38183 Longitude 244.754 Instrument VIS Captured 2022-01-15 20 50
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Today's VIS image shows part of Richardson Crater. A large sand sheets covers the floor of the crater. Linear dune forms are visible on the top of the sand mound. The dunes in this image are different from crater dunes found further north, due to the amount of ice present most of the year. Richardson Crater is 89 km (55 miles) in diameter. Orbit Number 84392 Latitude -72.6105 Longitude 178.805 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-12-23 03 00
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This VIS image shows part of the south polar region. The ejecta from the relatively young crater covers the rougher textured polar surface
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Medusae Fossae Formation - High Resolution Image
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Looking Back at Spirit's Trail to the Summit
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Today's VIS image shows a field on dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater in southern Terra Sirenum. The tracks of dust devils can be seen elsewhere on the crater floor, as well as on the crater rim. Orbit Number 84004 Latitude -61.0073 Longitude 216.778 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-11-21 04 14
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. Polar Layers. This VIS image shows layering in the south polar cap. The layers are formed over thousands of years of seasonal change, reflecting ice and dust surface deposition. Where the layers appear close to each other are steep trough sides. The steeper the slope, the closer the layers. This image was collected during summer at the south polar cap. Orbit Number 91750 Latitude -85.7516 Longitude 177.751 Instrument VIS Captured 2022-08-20 23 34
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This VIS image shows one of the mega-gullies that empties into Echus Chasma. Echus Chasma is approximately 4km deep in this region, and is the source of Kasei Valles. Orbit Number 71207 Latitude -1.24174 Longitude 278.861 Instrument VIS Captured 2018-01-02 07 50
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This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the dune field on the floor of Brashear Crater.
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This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows dust devil tracks on the surface of Sisyphi Planum.
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This VIS image shows part of the complex caldera at the summit of Ascraeus Mons. Ascraeus Mons is the northernmost and tallest of the three large aligned Tharsis volcanoes. Calderas are found at the tops of volcanoes and are the source region for magma that rises from an underground lava source to erupt at the surface. Volcanoes are formed by repeated flows from the central caldera. The final eruptions can pool within the summit caldera, leaving a flat surface as they cool. Calderas are also a location of collapse, creating rings of tectonic faults that form the caldera rim. Ascraeus Mons has several caldera features at its summit. Ascraeus Mons is 18 km (11 miles) tall, for comparison Mauna Kea the tallest volcano on Earth is 10 km tall (6.2 miles, measured from the base below sea level). Orbit Number 79142 Latitude 11.5042 Longitude 256.023 Instrument VIS Captured 2019-10-17 20 56
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Today's VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. Millions of years of alternating seasons have created the south polar cap. Ice is laid down during the winter and dust coats the ice in summer. The ice/dust cycle creates layers as the cap grows. The layers are revealed on the side of troughs that are eroded down into the cap. Orbit Number 84339 Latitude -86.1557 Longitude 147.82 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-12-18 18 22
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Kasei Valles. Today's VIS image shows a portion of Kasei Valles. Kasei Valles is one of the largest outflow channel systems on Mars, in places up to 482 km (300 miles) wide and 1580 km (982 miles) long. For comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is is only 29 km (18 miles) at its widest and only 446 km (277 miles) long. Kasei Valles flows eastward through Lunae Planum and empties into Chryse Planitia. Orbit Number 93978 Latitude 24.9563 Longitude 287.171 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-02-20 11 01 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25939
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Two mosaiced pieces of NASA's Magellan image strips display the area east of the Rhea Mons volcano on Venus.
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South Polar Ice. Today's VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. This image was taken at the end of southern summer. The cap was created over millions of years with deposition of ice and dust during different seasons, creating layers. The ice surface contains several different textures which can be seen in this image. The south polar cap is called Australe Planum. Orbit Number 93170 Latitude -86.9909 Longitude 288.998 Instrument VIS Captured 2022-12-15 21 41 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25846
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Today's VIS image shows part of the South Pole. Promethei Chasma covers the left side of the image. Promethei and other chasmata are found in both the north and south polar caps. The chasmata are are regions that have no ice cover, revealing the surface below the ice cap. The layers that comprise the polar cap are readily visible along the side of the chasma. Orbit Number 84226 Latitude -82.4516 Longitude 138.354 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-12-09 11 06
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This high-resolution stereo anaglyph captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft of Saturn's moon Enceladus shows a region of craters softened by time and torn apart by tectonic stresses. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.
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This Mars Odyssey image shows the eastern part of the Proctor Crater dune field.
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Slipping and Sliding in Coprates Chasma
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This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft spans from Tithonium Chasma (top of image) to Ius Chasma (bottom of image).
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The collapse features in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the northern flank of Ascreaus Mons.
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The numerous small depressions seen in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft of the south polar cap are informally called swiss cheese.
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Tyrrhenus Mons. Today's VIS image crosses part of the flank of Tyrrhenus Mons. Tyrrhenus Mons is one of the oldest martian volcanoes. Unlike most of the other Martian volcanoes, it is made of layers that include softer volcanic ash rather than just basaltic flows. This difference is evident in how the volcano is being eroded, creating broad intersecting sinuous channels. Tyrrhena Fossae, the largest of the channels dissecting the volcano, is visible in this image. On Earth basaltic flows form broad shield volcanoes like Hawaii. Shield volcanoes can erupt from the central crater, as well as along the flanks. Volcanoes with ash layers, called composite volcanoes, form steeper sides like Mt Rainier and Mt Fuji, with material erupting only from the central caldera. Tyrrhenus Mons more closely resembles composite volcanoes. Orbit Number 93105 Latitude -21.2039 Longitude 107.185 Instrument VIS Captured 2022-12-10 12 51 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25813
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Elysium Mons Volcano
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This 300-kilometer (186-mile) long daytime infrared image of Terra Sirenum, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, displays a wide variety of geologic features. The mottled floor and rim of Koval'skiy Crater is seen at the left (north) of the image.
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Spirit Tracks on Mars, Sol 151
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The component images for this 360-degree panorama were taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity after the rover drove about 97 feet southeastward on April 22, 2014. The location is on the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
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Close-up of 'Wopmay'
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Do you see what I see in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft There is a mickey mouse hat sitting on the top right side of this daytime infrared image.
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Jupiter's Equatorial Region in the Near-Infrared (Time Set 4)
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Layers in Terby Crater
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Atmospheric Effects in IR Color
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These images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, located in asteroid Vesta's Floronia quadrangle, in Vesta's northern hemisphere, demonstrate a special analytical technique, which results in shadowed areas of Vesta's surface becoming illuminated.
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Today's false color image shows part of Arabia Terra. Dark blue tones in false color indicate basaltic sands, which can be seen in the unnamed crater at the top of the image. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Orbit Number 63122 Latitude 8.6734 Longitude 8.32956 Instrument VIS Captured 2016-03-07 06 08
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This scene from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the contrasting morphologies of the relatively rough highland terrain (in the lower portion of the image) and the relatively smooth materials (at top) of the southern rim of the Isidis Planitia basin.
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The lowland plains of Elysium Planitia contains a terrain that puzzles Mars scientists. Landforms in the region are the plates and ridges seen throughout most of this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey.
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Inverted Valley in Arabia
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This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unusual surface texture. The circular depressions look like swiss cheese.
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As spring turns to summer, the frost cover has been removed from the south polar cap. The surface textures seen in this VIS image are created by action of the sun on the icy cap.
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Young Channel, Old Crater
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. Pavonis Mons Flank. This VIS image shows part of the eastern flank of Pavonis Mons. Pavonis Mons is the central volcano of the three large Tharsis volcanoes. All three volcanoes form a line located along a tectonic bulge caused by extensional forces in the region. Pavonis Mons is the smallest of the three with a summit of only 14km (46,000 ft). Pavonis means peacock in Latin, making the name peacock mountain. Orbit Number 94229 Latitude 1.10568 Longitude 249.38 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-03-13 02 53
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These images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, located in asteroid Vesta's Marcia quadrangle, in Vesta's northern hemisphere, demonstrate a special analytical technique, which results in shadowed areas of Vesta's surface becoming illuminated.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Dawn visible and infrared spectrometer image, overlain on top of a framing camera image of the same region on asteroid Vesta.
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V 5966. Thule (depicted - name)
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Proctor Crater Dunes
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THEMIS Images as Art #2
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Mountains on the MoonOn the Earth, we are taught that mountains form over millions of years, the result of gradual shifting and colliding plates. On the moon however, the situation is quite different. Even the largest lunar mountains were formed in minutes or less as asteroids and comets slammed into the surface at tremendous velocities, displacing and uplifting enough crust to create peaks that easily rival those found on Earth. On a few occasions in the past year, NASA has tilted the angle of LRO to do calibrations and other tests. In such cases the camera has the opportunity to gather oblique images of the lunar surface like the one featured here of Cabeus Crater providing a dramatic view of the moon's mountainous terrain. Cabeus Crater is located near the lunar south pole and contains the site of the LCROSS mission's impact. Early measurements by several instruments on LRO were used to guide the decision to send LCROSS to Cabeus. During the LCROSS impact LRO was carefully positio
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Adkin collection : Untitled, 04 May 1953, by Leslie Adkin.
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Spirit Keeps on Trekking (polar eye)
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This VIS image shows part of Acidalia Colles. The term colles means hill. Dark blue tones in this band configuration typically identify basaltic sands. This blue material is found on the plains, but also on some of the hill faces. Acidalia Colles in located in central Acidalia Planitia. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Orbit Number 61526 Latitude 49.3311 Longitude 334.82 Instrument VIS Captured 2015-10-27 19 43
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Icy Crescent
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Three dimensional Visualization of Jupiter's Equatorial Region
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Aerial view of a part of the area affected during the flood disaster of 1953. Note: The description of this photo is not yet complete and will be supplemented on the basis of the data available at a later stage. However, of many photos of the flood disaster 1953, the location is unknown.
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P-21735 BW This Jupiter image taken by Voyager 2 shows an area from 10° N. Lat. to 34° S. Lat. in a region west of the Great Red Spot. At the top of the picture, equatorial plumes are seen. These features move along the edge of the equatorial zone. The remainder of the equatorial region is characterized by diffuse clouds. The region west of the Great Red Spot is seen as a disturbed wave-like pattern. Similiar flows are seen to the west of the white oval at bottom.
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Aerial view of a part of the area affected during the flood disaster of 1953. Note: The description of this photo is not yet complete and will be supplemented on the basis of the data available at a later stage. However, of many photos of the flood disaster 1953, the location is unknown.
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V 6922. Ulvön (depicted - name)