Perspective view of Tractus Catena
Perspective view of Tractus Catena
Realistic perspective views of the Martian surface can be generated from data acquired by the stereo and colour channels of the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, which are oriented at an angle with respect to the planet's surface. In this image, the view runs from the northeast, over the fractures of Tractus Catena, to the northern section of the Tharsis Bulge. Multiple chains of crater-like depressions up to 1500 metres deep that have formed along the major fault lines are clearly visible. The origin of these pit crater chains, which are mostly observed along stress fractures, is still unclear. Volcanic processes may be one cause, but the role of water in underground cavities might also be a factor.
Copyright note:
As a joint undertaking by DLR, ESA and FU Berlin, the Mars Express HRSC images are published under a Creative Commons licence since December 2014: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. This licence will also apply to all HRSC images released to date.