Sculptured lava south of Olympus Mons?
Click for full image.
Time for a cool image! The photo to the right, rotated, cropped, and reduced to post here, was taken on September 8, 2021 by the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). It shows a region of strangely sculptured terrain located several hundred miles south of Olympus Mons.
It appears the prevailing winds are to the west. The question is whether the wind is shaping a hard lava surface, over eons, or is shaping instead layers of dust or volcanic ash quickly and seasonally. At this location either is possible. In fact, we might even be seeing evidence of both at the same time.
The overview map below shows that the location is just outside the Medusae Fossae Formation, the largest volcanic ash deposit on Mars.
The black cross south of Olympus Mons marks the location of this photo. That this region is just outside the Medusae Fossae Formation does not preclude the possibility that this spot does not have a lot of volcanic ash. Ash deposits don’t simply stop at a line, instantly. There easily could be large patches scattered about at the periphery of the Fossae Formation, with this being an example of one.
At the same time, the flanks of Olympus Mons are generally made up of vast lava flood plains. This spot could also be that, with the winds slowly carving that plain to create the features we see.
Your guess is as good as mine.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Click for full image.
Time for a cool image! The photo to the right, rotated, cropped, and reduced to post here, was taken on September 8, 2021 by the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). It shows a region of strangely sculptured terrain located several hundred miles south of Olympus Mons.
It appears the prevailing winds are to the west. The question is whether the wind is shaping a hard lava surface, over eons, or is shaping instead layers of dust or volcanic ash quickly and seasonally. At this location either is possible. In fact, we might even be seeing evidence of both at the same time.
The overview map below shows that the location is just outside the Medusae Fossae Formation, the largest volcanic ash deposit on Mars.
The black cross south of Olympus Mons marks the location of this photo. That this region is just outside the Medusae Fossae Formation does not preclude the possibility that this spot does not have a lot of volcanic ash. Ash deposits don’t simply stop at a line, instantly. There easily could be large patches scattered about at the periphery of the Fossae Formation, with this being an example of one.
At the same time, the flanks of Olympus Mons are generally made up of vast lava flood plains. This spot could also be that, with the winds slowly carving that plain to create the features we see.
Your guess is as good as mine.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Typo: “Olympus Mons” not “Olympus Mars”.
Michael McNeil: Thank you. Typo fixed.
Coincidentally, my grandson’s grade-school teacher also recently told his class that the biggest volcano in the solar system was “Olympus Mars”. I told him the right name. As luck would have it, the very next day she told the class she had made a mistake and asked if anyone knew the correct name, which he promptly blurted out! Grandpa is on a pretty tall pedestal at the moment!
Ray Van Dune: Very cool story. And great for your grandson.
I have one question: Do you reveal your source of info (BtB) to your grandson, or do you continue to pose as all-knowing, all-wise? :)
Robert asked: “I have one question: Do you reveal your source of info (BtB) to your grandson, or do you continue to pose as all-knowing, all-wise? :)”
A local hardware store ran a series of spots featuring a grandfather who would get his advice from the store, and pass it off as his own. But being a grandfather means working smarter, not harder.
Mars The Red Planet its suppost to have Canyon bigger then the Grand Canyon