Comments on: Strange wormlike tube features on slopes of Martian shield volcano

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:50:34 +0000

In reply to Max.

Max: I’ve written about lava flows on Mars repeatedly, noting how compared to Earth it flows faster, with less viscosity, and more like debris-filled water. Think of the videos of the tsunami in Japan several years ago, especially the helicopter shots of the flood pushing debris across the landscape.

On Mars I’ve also posted numerous examples of places where the lava spread thinly and evenly. This is Mars, not Earth.

By: Max

Max — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 06:40:29 +0000

Thank you for the tools, perhaps we will hear more from others, especially the geologists who study such formations for their opinion about this alien world… That’s what fascinates me the most is the fact that this is a low gravity nearly airless cold “alien world” with unexpected surprises!
Thank you for posting these pictures.

As for the volcanic vent…
The frozen lava is spread thinley and evenly which is not usual. Lava tends to clump and be uneven, having ridges and spillways when things get jammed up as in other pictures you have posted. It’s definitely not fluid causing erosion channels evidenced by water? volcanoes. Perhaps a pyroclastic flow of dust? A separate mystery not related to the ridged mounds that circle navigate the volcano. Their uniform orientation reminds me of iron filings on a magnet.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 16:58:32 +0000

In reply to Max. Max: The "overflow spill out" is frozen lava. The "lava tube" is a vent for the lava, flowing downhill to the north.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 16:57:15 +0000

In reply to Max. Max: Note that the tubes are not "always perpendicular to the slope". The tubes to the north and south of the shield volcano's peak are aligned with that slope, but in opposite directions. Since you love to dig in and analyze the original image, I strongly urge you to also learn to use the Murray Lab's global mosaic of MRO's context camera images. Its profile tool allows you to measure the slope and elevation differences in each image, as well as the size of most features larger than 30 feet. Finding the high resolution images on this global mosaic requires an overall knowledge of the global map, which is helped by turning on MRO's MOLA elevation data, which adds the colors seen in all the overview maps I post. This can get you close. The lat-long data from each image's main page can get you close enough then that you usually can spot the image itself and zoom in.

By: Max

Max — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 16:38:24 +0000

I’ve search the picture extensively looking for any anomalies or clues for what we see visually. I got nothing.
Every circular mound, looks like a top, wide on the left side tapering down to a point on the right… But always perpendicular to the slope.
Viscous lava rolling downhill may make circular formations, but they would pile up like log jams, especially being larger on one end would tend to roll the heavy end downhill with the lighter end pointing up… Which is not the case.
At the bottom of the original picture and to the left there is a meteor impact that raises a circular formation into the air slightly and appears to be circular all the way around. I can fine no other that is exposed, broken free or pointing in the wrong direction. (some of the larger circular formations occur on each side of a meteor impact, adding more to the mystery) what would form ice cream cones?

At the bottom of the collapsed lava tube there seems to be overflow spill out that I can only see when you zoom out. Looking like a mud plane but barely detectable. The lighter coloration helps. Unfortunately, no correlation with the other formations, no answers here.

By: Blair Ivey

Blair Ivey — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:48:28 +0000

Shai-hulud