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Brain Terrain
Brain terrain, also called knobs-brain coral and brain coral terrain, is a feature of the Martian surface, consisting of complex ridges found on lobate debris aprons, lineated valley fill and concentric crater fill. It is so named because it suggests the ridges on the surface of the human brain. Wide ridges are called ''closed-cell'' brain terrain, and the less common narrow ridges are called ''open-cell'' brain terrain.Levy, J., J. Head, D. Marchant. 2009. Concentric crater fill in Utopia Planitia: History and interaction between glacial “brain terrain” and periglacial mantle processes. Icarus 202, 462–476. It is thought that the wide closed-cell terrain contains a core of ice, and when the ice disappears the center of the wide ridge collapses to produce the narrow ridges of the open-cell brain terrain. Shadow measurements from HiRISE indicate the ridges are 4-5 meters high. Brain terrain has been observed to form from what has been called an " Upper Plains Unit." The process ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lobate Debris Apron
Lobate debris aprons (LDAs) are geological features on Mars, first seen by the Viking Orbiters, consisting of piles of rock debris below cliffs. These features have a convex topography and a gentle slope from cliffs or escarpments, which suggest flow away from the steep source cliff. In addition, lobate debris aprons can show surface lineations as do rock glaciers on the Earth. File:Wikictxp13clifflda.jpg, alt=Wide view of mesa with CTX showing Cliff face and location of lobate debris apron (LDA) Location is Ismenius Lacus quadrangle., Wide view of mesa with CTX showing cliff face and location of lobate debris apron (LDA) Location is Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. File:Wikifretesp 028313 2220cliff.jpg, Enlargement of previous CTX image of mesa This image shows the cliff face and detail in the LDA. Image taken with HiRISE under HiWish program. Location is Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. File:Wikildaf03 036777 2287.jpg, alt=Lobate debris aprons (LDAs) around a mesa, as seen by CTX. Mesa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lineated Valley Fill
Lineated valley fill (LVF), also called lineated floor deposit, is a feature of the floors of some channels on Mars, exhibiting ridges and grooves that seem to flow around obstacles. Shadow measurements show that at least some of the ridges are several metres high. LVF is believed to be ice-rich. Hundreds of metres of ice probably lie protected in LVF under a thin layer of debris. The debris consists of wind-borne dust, material from alcove walls, and lag material remaining after ice sublimated (changed from a solid directly to a gas) from a rock-ice mixture. Some glaciers on Earth show similar ridges. High-resolution pictures taken with HiRISE reveal that some of the surfaces of lineated valley fill are covered with strange patterns called closed-cell and open-cell brain terrain. The terrain resembles a human brain. It is believed to be caused by cracks in the surface accumulating dust and other debris, together with ice sublimating from some of the surfaces. The cracks are th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Concentric Crater Fill
A concentric crater fill (CCF) is a landform where the floor of a crater is mostly covered with many parallel ridges. It is common in the mid-latitudes of Mars, and is widely believed to be caused by glacial movement. Areas on Mars called Deuteronilus Mensae and Protonilus Mensae contain many examples of concentric crater fill. Description Concentric crater fill, like lobate debris aprons and lineated valley fill, is believed to be ice-rich. Sometimes boulders are found on concentric crater fill; it is believed they fell off the crater wall, then were transported away from the wall with the movement of the glacier. Erratics on Earth were carried by similar means. High resolution pictures taken with HiRISE reveal that some of the surfaces of concentric crater fill are covered with strange patterns called closed-cell and open-cell brain terrain. The terrain resembles a human brain. It is believed to be caused by cracks in the surface accumulating dust and other debris, togethe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martian Dichotomy
The most conspicuous feature of Mars is a sharp contrast, known as the Martian dichotomy, between the Southern and the Northern hemispheres. The two hemispheres' geography differ in elevation by 1 to 3 km. The average thickness of the Martian crust is 45 km, with 32 km in the northern lowlands region, and 58 km in the southern highlands. The boundary between the two regions is quite complex in places. One distinctive type of topography is called fretted terrain. It contains mesas, knobs, and flat-floored valleys having walls about a mile high. Around many of the mesas and knobs are lobate debris aprons that have been shown to be rock glaciers. Many large valleys formed by the lava erupted from the volcanoes of Mars cut through the dichotomy. The Martian dichotomy boundary includes the regions called Deuteronilus Mensae, Protonilus Mensae, and Nilosyrtis Mensae. All three regions have been studied extensively because they contain landforms believed to hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deuteronilus Mensae
Deuteronilus Mensae is a region on Mars 937 km across and centered at . It covers 344°–325° West and 40°–48° North. Deuteronilus region lies just to the north of Arabia Terra and is included in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. It is along the dichotomy boundary, that is between the old, heavily cratered southern highlands and the low plains of the northern hemisphere. The region contains flat-topped knobby terrain that may have been formed by glaciers at some time in the past. Deuteronilus Mensae is to the immediate west of Protonilus Mensae and Ismeniae Fossae. Glaciers persist in the region in modern times, with at least one glacier estimated to have formed as recently as 100,000 to 10,000 years ago. Recent evidence from the radar on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has shown that parts of Deuteronilus Mensae do indeed contain ice. Source of ice It is now widely believed that ice accumulated in many areas of Mars, including Deuteronilus Mensae, when the planet's orbi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Protonilus Mensae
Protonilus Mensae is an area of Mars in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. It is centered on the coordinates of 43.86° N and 49.4° E. Its western and eastern longitudes are 37° E and 59.7° E. North and south latitudes are 47.06° N and 39.87° N. Protonilus Mensae is between Deuteronilus Mensae and Nilosyrtis Mensae; all lie along the Martian dichotomy boundary. Its name was adapted by the IAU in 1973. Mapdeuteronilus.jpg, Map showing the relation of Protonilus and Deuteronilus Mensae to other nearby regions. Colors refer to altitudes. The surface is described as fretted terrain. This terrain contains cliffs, mesas, and wide flat valleys. Surface features are believed to have been caused by debris-covered glaciers. These glaciers are termed lobate debris aprons (LDA) when surrounding mounds and mesas. When glaciers are in valleys, they are called Lineated valley fill (LVF). Parts of the surface show flow patterns that start in numerous alcoves located within the walls of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nilosyrtis Mensae
Nilosyrtis Mensae is an area of Mars in the Casius quadrangle. It is centered on the coordinates of 36.87° N and 67.9° E. Its western and eastern longitudes are 51.1° E and 74.4° E. North and south latitudes are 36.87° N and 29.61° N. Nilosyrtis Mensae is just to the east of Protonilus Mensae and both lie along the Martian dichotomy boundary. Its name was adapted by the IAU in 1973. It was named after a classical albedo feature, and it is across. The surface of Nilosyrtis Mensae is classified as fretted terrain. This terrain contains cliffs, mesas, and wide flat valleys. Surface features are believed to have been caused by debris-covered glaciers. These glaciers are termed lobate debris aprons when surrounding mounds and mesas. When the glaciers are in the valleys they are called lineated valley fill. Climate change caused ice-rich features For decades many features on Mars, including ones in Nilosyrtis Mensae, were believed to contain large amounts of ice. This ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ismenius Lacus Quadrangle
The Ismenius Lacus quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The quadrangle is located in the northwestern portion of Mars’ eastern hemisphere and covers 0° to 60° east longitude (300° to 360° west longitude) and 30° to 65° north latitude. The quadrangle uses a Lambert conformal conic projection at a nominal scale of 1:5,000,000 (1:5M). The Ismenius Lacus quadrangle is also referred to as MC-5 (Mars Chart-5). The southern and northern borders of the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle are approximately and wide, respectively. The north-to-south distance is about (slightly less than the length of Greenland). The quadrangle covers an approximate area of 4.9 million square km, or a little over 3% of Mars’ surface area. The Ismenius Lacus quadrangle contains parts of Acidalia Planitia, Arabia Terra, Vastitas Borealis, and Terra Sabaea. The Ismenius Lacus quadrangle contains Deute ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lineated Valley Fill
Lineated valley fill (LVF), also called lineated floor deposit, is a feature of the floors of some channels on Mars, exhibiting ridges and grooves that seem to flow around obstacles. Shadow measurements show that at least some of the ridges are several metres high. LVF is believed to be ice-rich. Hundreds of metres of ice probably lie protected in LVF under a thin layer of debris. The debris consists of wind-borne dust, material from alcove walls, and lag material remaining after ice sublimated (changed from a solid directly to a gas) from a rock-ice mixture. Some glaciers on Earth show similar ridges. High-resolution pictures taken with HiRISE reveal that some of the surfaces of lineated valley fill are covered with strange patterns called closed-cell and open-cell brain terrain. The terrain resembles a human brain. It is believed to be caused by cracks in the surface accumulating dust and other debris, together with ice sublimating from some of the surfaces. The cracks are th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coloe Fossae
Coloe Fossae is a set of troughs in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle of Mars. It is centered at 36.5 degrees north latitude and 302.9 west longitude. It is 576 km long and was named after a classical albedo feature. Image:Coloe Fossae.JPG, Coloe Fossae Dike (geology), Dikes and/or Fault (geology), faults, as seen by HiRISE. Dikes and faults may have produced mineral deposits. Image:Coloe Fossae Lineated Valley Fill.JPG, Coloe Fossae lineated valley fill, as seen by HiRISE. Scale bar is 500 meters long. Image:Cole Fossae Pits.JPG, Coloe Fossae pits, as seen by HiRISE. Pits are believed to result from escaping water. References See also * Fossa (geology) Ismenius Lacus quadrangle Valleys and canyons on Mars {{Mars-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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