What To Know
- New images released by the European Space Agency (ESA) reveal never-before-seen details of the Aganippe Trench, a 600-kilometre-long, winding scar on the surface of Mars that is classified as a “graben”.
- More recently, Mars Express has turned its gaze to Aganippe Fossaa long, narrow depression at the base of Arsia Mons, one of the largest volcanoes on Mars.
- There are also traces of lava flows dating back to the time when Arsia Mons was still an active volcano, revealing important aspects of the geological history of the region.
New images released by the European Space Agency (ESA) reveal never-before-seen details of the Aganippe Trench, a 600-kilometre-long, winding scar on the surface of Mars that is classified as a “graben”.
Formation and origin of the Aganippe pit
Launched in 2003, Mars Express is the first European mission to the Red Planet. Although its Beagle 2 lander was lost, the orbiter continues to provide valuable data on March. It maps minerals, studies the atmosphere, probes beneath the Martian crust and observes the planet’s teardrop-shaped moons, Phobos and Deimos. More recently, Mars Express has turned its gaze to Aganippe Fossaa long, narrow depression at the base of Arsia Mons, one of the largest volcanoes on Mars. It was formed by the stretching and cracking of the Martian crust by magma rising beneath the massive volcanoes of Tharsis. Although the exact date and process of formation remain uncertain, researchers at ESA believe that this volcanic activity played a key role. The name “Aganippe Fossa” has its roots in classical mythology: Aganippe, a nymph associated with a spring at the foot of Mount Helicon in Greece. Finally, “Fossa” derives from the Latin term for ditch or trench, perfectly describing this geological formation.
Topography of the Aganippe Trench. Credits: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin
What do these images reveal?
New images taken by Mars Express’ high-resolution stereo camera show fascinating details of the Martian surface. They include irregular hills and smooth cliffs covered with debris. The clustered hills are known as hummocky terrain, while the smooth, sloping cliffs are called lobate terrain. These formations are found in a ring-shaped area around Arsia Mons, one of the largest volcanoes on Mars, covering about 100,000 square kilometers. This area, called a “halo”, is probably the result of ice deposits from ancient glaciers spread by the prevailing winds coming from the southeast. The images also show zebra patterns on the surface of Mars created by dust and sand carried by the wind. These appear when darker materials settle on lighter ground. Finally, there are also traces of lava flows dating back to the time when Arsia Mons was still an active volcano, revealing important aspects of the geological history of the region.
