ESAESA ScienceMars Express
   
Europe goes to Mars
About Mars Express
About Mars
Meet the team
Multimedia
VideoTalkMars Express imagesMars Express videosHRSC videosAnimation in 11 languagesDownload wallpapersDownload screensavers3D Flash 'model'Make a model
Services
Comments Bookmark and Share
 
 
 
 
News
 
printer friendly page
Louros Valles, south of Ius Chasma
 
Colour image of  Louros Valles
HRSC colour image of Louros Valles
 
8 April 2004
These latest images show a system of sapping channels, called Louros Valles (named in 1982 after river in Greece), south of the Ius Chasma canyon which runs east to west on Mars.
 
These images were taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express during orbit 97 from an altitude of 269 kilometres. The images have a resolution of about 13 metres per pixel and are centred at 278.8° East and 8.3° South. The colour image has been created from the nadir and three colour channels. North is at the right.

The Ius Chasma belongs to the giant Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars. The Geryon Montes, visible at the right of this image, is a mountain range which divides the Ius Chasma into two parallel trenches. The dark deposits at the bottom of the Ius Chasma are possibly related to water and wind erosion.

'Sapping' is erosion by water that emerges from the ground as a spring or seeps from between layers of rock in a wall of a cliff, crater or other type of depression. The channel forms from water and debris running down the slope from the seepage area.

This is known from similar features on Earth, but on Mars it is thought that most of the water had probably either evaporated or frozen by the time it reached the bottom of the slope.  
 

Louros Valles in 3D
3D view
 
The 3D image has been created from the nadir (vertical view) channel and one stereo channel of the camera. North is again on the right. This image requires stereoscopic glasses to view.
 
 
Louros Valles in black and white
Black and white view
 
 
For more information on Mars Express HRSC images, you might like to read our updated 'Frequently Asked Questions' list.
 
 
 


Looking at Mars
Mars Express image browser
Recent images
View of deposits in Melas Chasma on MarsFractured crater near Valles Marineris'Yardangs' on MarsNorthern rim of Hellas basinMelas Chasma, in Valles MarinerisEvidence of flooding at Mangala VallesArsia Mons volcano in 3DDeep faults and disrupted crater at Acheron FossaeWestern flank of Olympus MonsClaritas Fossae tectonic region on Mars
More information
High Resolution Stereo CameraBehind the lens...
 
 
 
   Copyright 2000 - 2010 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.