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Eastern scarp of Olympus Mons 
These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, show the eastern scarp of the Olympus Mons volcano on Mars.
The surface of the summit plateau’s eastern flank shows lava flows that have are several kilometres long and a few hundred metres wide.
Age determinations show that they are up to 200 million years old, in some places even older, indicating episodic geological activity.
Several channel-like features are visible which form a broad network composed of intersecting and ‘anastomosing’* channels that are several kilometres long and up to 40 metres deep. (*Anastomising means branching extensively and crossing over one another, like veins on the back of your hand.)
Age determinations show that the network-bearing area was geologically active as recent as 30 million years ago.
Between the edge of the lowland plains and the bottom of the volcano slope, there are ‘wrinkle ridges’ which are interpreted as the result of compressional deformation. In some places, wrinkle ridges border the arch-like terraces at the foot of the volcano slope.
The perspective views have been calculated from the digital terrain model derived from the stereo channels.
For more information on Mars Express HRSC images, you might like to read our updated 'Frequently Asked Questions'.
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