The mysterious ridges at the mouth of Tiu Valles


Tiu Valles
 
This image taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express shows the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system on the red planet.

The picture was taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel.

Visible in the lower part of the image are remnants of a once 'streamlined' island.

The upper part of the scene covers the mouth of the Tiu Valles nearly in its entire width, approximately 55 km. Its winding, meandering ridges, bound by depressions are eye-catching. The processes that formed these odd structures are unknown. Possibly, during flooding events, water or water-rich surface layers came in contact with lava from the surrounding areas, which then might have led to the formation of these mysterious ridges.

The region is located at approximately 27° North and 330° East. The Sun illuminates the scene from the North West, the lower left-hand side in the image.

The colour scenes have been derived from the three HRSC-colour channels and the nadir channel.

Map showing Tiu Valles in context
 
This map shows the location of the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system at approximately 27° North and 330° East.

Along with Kasei Valles and Ares Valles, Tiu Valles is one of the major outflow channels entering the Chryse Planitia plain. Pictures of the region on Mars were taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel.

Tiu Valles perspective view
 
This image taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express shows the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system on the red planet.

The picture was taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel. The region is located at approximately 27° North and 330° East.

The colour scenes have been derived from the three HRSC-colour channels and the nadir channel.

Tiu Valles perspective view
 
This image taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express shows the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system on the red planet.

The picture was taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel. The region is located at approximately 27° North and 330° East.

Its winding, meandering ridges, bound by depressions are eye-catching. The processes that formed these odd structures are unknown. Possibly, during floods events, water or water-rich surface layers came in contact with lava from the surrounding areas, which then might have led to the formation of these mysterious ridges.

The colour scenes have been derived from the three HRSC-colour channels and the nadir channel.

Tiu Valles nadir view
 
This image taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express shows the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system on the red planet.

The pictures were taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel.

Visible in the lower part of the image are remnants of a once 'streamlined' island, a landform surrounded by water in the past.

The upper part of the scene covers the Tiu Valles mouth nearly in its entire width, approximately 55 km. Its winding, meandering ridges, bound by depressions are eye-catching. The processes that formed these odd structures are unknown. Possibly, during flooding events, water or water-rich surface layers came in contact with lava from the surrounding areas, which then might have led to the formation of these mysterious ridges.

The region is located at approximately 27° North and 330° East. The sun illuminates the scene from the North West, lower left-hand side in the image.

The black and white high-resolution images were derived from the nadir channel which provides the highest level of detail.

Tiu Valles 3D image
 
This is an anaglyph (3D) image taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express showing the mouth of the Tiu Valles channel system on the red planet. Stereoscopic glasses are required to view the image.

The pictures were taken in orbit 3103 on 10 June 2006 with a ground resolution of approximately 16 metres per pixel.

Visible in the lower part of the image are remnants of a once 'streamlined' island.

The upper part of the scene covers the Tiu Valles mouth nearly in its entire width, approximately 55 km. Its winding, meandering ridges, bound by depressions are eye-catching. The processes that formed these odd structures are unknown. Possibly, during flooding events, water or water-rich surface layers came in contact with lava from the surrounding areas, which then might have led to the formation of these mysterious ridges.

The region is located at approximately 27° North and 330° East. The sun illuminates the scene from the North West, lower left-hand side in the image.

This anaglyph image was calculated from the nadir channel and one stereo channel.



Release date: 16 November 2007