Mars Express image browser
Click on the flags on the Martian surface to see images from ESA's Mars Express.
ÁBHAR CARTLAINNE
14 IÚIL. 2008
Dáta foilsithe
17376
Amhairc
The High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express has returned images of Echus Chasma, one of the largest water source regions on the Red Planet.
The data was acquired on 25 September 2005. The pictures are centred at about 1° north and 278° east and have a ground resolution of approximately 17 m/pixel.
Modh meán
Echus Chasma is an approximately 100 km long and 10 km wide incision in the Lunae Planum high plateau north of Valles Marineris, the ‘Grand Canyon’ of Mars. Echus Chasma is the water source region of Kasei Valles, which extends thousands of kilometres to the north, and its southern-most part.
Modh meán
Echus Chasma is bounded to the west by the Echus Chasma plateau which lies about 4 km above the Echus Chasma floor. On the plateau are deeply incised valleys which connect to the Echus Chasma valley.
Modh meán
The images of the Echus Chasma plateau show valleys that are about 10 km long and 1000 m deep. The main valley, Kasei Valles, is about 4 km in depth. The smaller valleys, also called sapping canyons, originate from the discharge of groundwater.
Modh meán
One possible indication for volcanic activity in the past is be a sickle-shaped, about 25-km long dike in the centre of the image (feature 2 in the annotated image). Dikes are rock formations of volcanic origin. They are formed when magma rises up through fissures in the overlying rock or penetrates existing rock layers. The magmatic rock is usually resistant to weathering and is able to endure erosion.
Modh meán
Two impact craters with a diameter of approximately 8 km are located south-east of the dike. The eastern crater was partly eroded as the valley formed. A large portion of the crater collapsed into the valley and its debris was removed.
Modh meán
The dark material shows a network of light-coloured, shallowly incised valleys. They look similar to drainage networks known on Earth.
For more images, see page two
Modh meán
Echus Chasma
The High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express has returned images of Echus Chasma, one of the largest water source regions on the Red Planet.
Echus Chasma, page two
A 4000-m-high cliff marks the edge of the source area of Kasei Valles in its western part. Gigantic water falls may have once plunged over these cliffs on to the valley floor. The original shoreline is still partially visible. The remarkably smooth valley floor was later flooded by basaltic lava.
Crater in martian valley Mamers Valles
The High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard the ESA spacecraft Mars Express obtained images of a region at the end of Mamers Valles, a long, winding valley. The focus is on a circular depression that contains a crater.
Modh meán
Naisc ghaolmhara
HRSC at DLR
Behind the lens...
This is the camera behind the stunning European imagery from Mars. The High Resolution Stereo Camera on ESA’s Mars Express is now mapping most of the Martian surface with unprecedented detail.
Mars Express HRSC images Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We get lots of questions regarding Mars and Mars Express. Before posting your question, please go through the following FAQs to see if your question has already been answered.
ESA Planetary Science archive (PSA)
Comhroinn an leathanach seo
Fan suas chun dáta
Liostáil lenár nuachtlitir chun an nuacht is déanaí, nuashonruithe misin, agus léargas eisiach a fháil go díreach i do bhosca isteach. Bí ar an gcéad duine a bheidh ar an eolas faoinár dtionscadail agus ár ndul chun cinn atá le teacht.