| Valles Marineris | |
 228k GIF - 91k JPEG Image processed by U.S. Geological Survey |
Named in honor of Mariner 9, the canyons of Valles Marineris stretch nearly a fifth of the way around Mars. They formed from faulting of the crust very early in Martian history, followed by modification of their walls by erosion. |
| Candor Chasma | |
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Within the canyons of Candor Chasma are numerous overlapping landslides, fractured blocks of ancient lake deposits, and craters buried by wind-blown sediment. Volcanic deposits of lava are present elsewhere in the canyon, indicating a complex origin by faulting of the crust, volcanism, and ponded water. |
| Amazonis Planitia | |
 245k GIF - 94k JPEG Image processed by U.S. Geological Survey |
The boundary between the southern cratered terrain on Mars and the northern plains is characterized by channels and an irregular eroded cliff. This region is a potential landing site for a future mission to Mars that could sample old cratered highlands, young smooth plains, and channel deposits of a variety of ages. |
Seasons || Volcanoes
|| Canyons & Plains || Craters
|| Water? || Wind
The Surface of Mars
Mars and its Moons
|| Observation || Exploration
|| Viking Mission || Surface
Global View || Meteorite
|| Imagery || Links
Mars
