Ancient floods on Mars: Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis


Chaotic terrain
 
Disrupted pattern of rock blocks between Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis. This perspective view looking north was taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) aboard ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft in October 2004, from an altitude of 350 km with a resolution of 15 metres per pixel.

Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis
 
This map shows the area covered by these images, the Iani Chaos depression – 180 km long and 200 km wide – is connected to the beginning of Ares Vallis by a 100-km wide transition zone centred around 342.5º East and 3º North.

Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis
 
Colour vertical view of Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis

Erosion
 
This image, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) aboard ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft in October 2004, from an altitude of 350 km with a resolution of 15 metres per pixel. It shows signs of erosion by water flows in Ares Vallis.

3-D
 
3D anaglyph view of the transition zone between Ares Vallis and Iani Chaos. This image, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) aboard ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft in October 2004, from an altitude of 350 km with a resolution of 15 metres per pixel.

Close-up
 
Perspective close-up view of outflow signatures in Ares Vallis

Cliffs
 
Cliffs and possible lava layers in Xanthe Terra

Pan
 
Black and white vertical view of Iani Chaos and Ares Vallis



Release date: 5 August 2005