Vertical plan view of a section of Utopia Planitia
Vertical plan view of a section of Utopia Planitia
The periodic tilting of the planet's axis of rotation by up to 60 degrees causes strong fluctuations in the Martian climate. Even in temperate latitudes, which on Earth would correspond to geographic regions such as Europe, this tilting means that ice is deposited over long periods of time. Together with the dust carried in by the wind, the ice forms layers that cover existing surface formations like a cloak. In this contrast-enhanced aerial view, these 'mantle deposits' can be seen on the left and right thirds of the image (north is on the right of the image). Crater ejecta covers the area in two layers to the left and right of the two 10- and 12-kilometre impact craters in the centre of the image. Mantle deposits can be seen on the crater rims and are particularly clear inside the impact craters. Here, it is referred to as 'concentric crater fill' and is also found in the smaller craters in the area.
