Flight over the canyon-area Hydraotes Chaos
The accompanying mosaic features orbit no. 18 which was the very first press release to the successful ESA mission Mars Express in 2004.
Video: "Flight over Hydraotes Chaos" from 2014 [3:18 min]
Copyright: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin
Among the most interesting landforms on Mars are features referred to as 'chaotic terrain'. Dozens or even hundreds of isolated mountains up to 2000 metres high are scattered in these extensive regions. Seen from orbit, they form a bizarre, chaotic pattern. Such terrains are found over a large area to both the west and east of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the Solar System. Hydraotes Chaos is a typical example of this type of landscape. This large basin, approximately the size of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, lies in the Martian highlands, near the equator.
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Link to press release: Flight over the area Hydraotes Chaos (Oct 16, 2014) |