Date: 15 Jun 2006
Satellite: Mars Express
Depicts: Margaritifer Terra
Copyright: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G.Neukum)

Margaritifer Terra is an ancient heavily cratered region with chaotic terrain, outflow channels and sediment deposits, indicative of massive flooding. Wind erosion patterns are also visible in this region.

At the top of the image, part of the large Galilaei crater with a diameter of about 137 km can be seen. The crater is named after the Italian astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei.

Across the centre of the image a steep flank of the Hydaspis Chaos region can be seen running from east to west and the northern rim of the Areum Chaos region runs through the bottom part of the image. This type of chaotic regions on Mars is believed to have formed by the collapse of the terrain due to the release of groundwater. Outflow channels are seen to originate from these regions.

Image created by ESA Science from data contained in the Mars Express public archive. The selected colour scheme is an interpretation based on the original raw data.

*Note: some of the image version provided are very large (4815 x 41989 pixels) and may take some time to open.