• → European Space Agency

      • Space for Europe
      • Space News
      • Space in Images
      • Space in Videos
    • About Us

      • Welcome to ESA
      • DG’s blog
      • For Member State Delegations
      • Business with ESA
      • Law at ESA
      • ESA Exhibitions
      • ESA Publications
      • Careers at ESA
      • ESAshop
    • Our Activities

      • Space News
      • Observing the Earth
      • Human and Robotic Exploration
      • Space Transportation
      • Navigation
      • Space Science
      • Space Engineering & Technology
      • Operations
      • Telecommunications & Integrated Applications
      • Preparing for the Future
    • Careers at ESA

    • For Media

      • Media
      • ESA TV
      • Videos for professionals
      • Photos
    • For Educators

    • For Kids

    • ESA

    • ESA Science

    • Mars Express

    • Europe goes to Mars

      • Europe reclaims a stake in Mars exploration
      • Space age transforms our knowledge about Mars
    • About Mars Express

      • Mars Express mission facts
      • Mars Express instruments
      • The mission
      • The spacecraft
      • The launcher
    • About Mars

      • Geography of Mars
      • Water on early Mars?
      • Facts about Mars
    • Meet the team

      • International collaboration
      • Mission team
      • Operations
      • Industry
    • Multimedia
    • Mars Express images
    • Mars Express videos
    • Services
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Follow us
    • ESA Sci on Twitter

    ESA > Our Activities > Space Science > Mars Express

    Deep fractures on Mars

    Mars Express sees deep fractures on Mars

    6 May 2011

    Newly released images from ESA’s Mars Express show Nili Fossae, a system of deep fractures around the giant Isidis impact basin. Some of these incisions into the martian crust are up to 500 m deep and probably formed at the same time as the basin.

    Nili Fossae in context

    Nili Fossae is a ‘graben’ system on Mars, northeast of the Syrtis Major volcanic province, on the northwestern edge of the giant Isidis impact basin. Graben refers to the lowered terrain between two parallel faults or fractures in the rocks that collapses when tectonic forces pull the area apart. The Nili Fossae system contains numerous graben concentrically oriented around the edges of the basin.


    Features in Nili Fossae

    It is thought that flooding of the basin with basaltic lava after the impact that created it resulted in subsidence of the basin floor, adding stress to the planet’s crust, which was released by the formation of the fractures.

    A strongly eroded impact crater is visible to the bottom right of the image. It measures about 12 km across and exhibits an ejecta blanket, usually formed by material thrown out during the impact. Two landslides have taken place to the west of the crater. Whether they were a direct result of the impact or occurred later is unknown.

    Elevation of Nili Fossae

    A smaller crater, measuring only 3.5 km across, can be seen to the left of centre in the image and this one does not exhibit any ejecta blanket material. It has either been eroded or may have been buried.

    The surface material to the top left of the image is much darker than the rest of the area. It is most likely formed of basaltic rock or volcanic ash originating from the Syrtis Major region. Such lava blankets form when large amounts of low-viscosity basaltic magma flow across long distances before cooling and solidifying. On Earth, the same phenomenon can be seen in the Deccan Traps in India.

    Nili Fossae in high resolution

    Nili Fossae interests planetary scientists because observations taken with telescopes on the Earth and published in 2009 have shown that there is a significant enhancement in Mars’ atmospheric methane over this area, suggesting that methane may be being produced there. Its origin remains mysterious, however, and could be geological or perhaps even biological.

    Nili Fossae in perspective

    As a result, understanding the origin of methane on Mars is high on the priority list and in 2016, ESA and NASA plan to launch the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter to investigate further. Nili Fossae will be observed with great interest.

    Loading...

    Nili Fossae in perspective
    Nili Fossae in perspective
    Nili Fossae in perspective
    Nili Fossae in 3D

    Rate this

    Views

    Share

    • Currently 5 out of 5 Stars.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    Rating: 5/5 (2 votes cast)

    Thank you for rating!

    You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

    Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

    2401
    Tweet
    • Mars Express on YouTube
    • Traces of Martian life
    • Related articles
      • Rare martian lake delta spotted by Mars Express
        • Mars’ northern polar regions in transition
          • Phobos slips past Jupiter
            • Springtime at Mars’ south pole
              • Mars Express sees deep fractures on Mars
                • Neighbouring volcanoes on Mars
                  • The scars of impacts on Mars
                    • Mars Express puts craters on a pedestal
                      • Mars Express close flybys of martian moon Phobos
                        • Wind and water have shaped Schiaparelli on Mars
                          • Light and dark in the Phoenix Lake
                            • Mars: how low can you go?
                              • Mars’s mysterious elongated crater
                                • Rocky mounds and a plateau on Mars
                                  • Wet era on early Mars was global
                                    • Volcanic ash in Meridiani Planum
                                      • Craters young and old in Sirenum Fossae
                                        • Craters, lava flows and tectonic features near Ma'adim Vallis
                                          • Craters and channels in Hephaestus Fossae
                                            • Chaotic terrain in Ariadnes Colles
                                              • Ice-covered martian North Pole
                                                • The Euminedes Dorsum mountains on Mars
                                                  • Lava deposits in Mangala Fossae
                                                  • Related links
                                                  • HRSC at DLR
                                                    • Behind the lens...
                                                      • Frequently asked questions
                                                      • For specialists
                                                      • ESA Planetary Science archive (PSA)
                                                      • NASA Planetary Data System
                                                      • HRSC data viewer
    • App Store
    • Subscribe
    • mobile version
    • FAQ

    • Site Map

    • Contacts

    • Terms and conditions