Perspective view to the south of the chaotic terrain
Perspective view to the south of the chaotic terrain
This 'chaotic terrain' is located at the lowest point of a large depression up to 2000 metres deep and measures approximately 40 by 80 kilometres. Such fractured landscapes occur when ice reservoirs in the subsurface melt, due to volcanically induced heat, for example, and considerable amounts of water are suddenly released and flow away. This causes the surface above the newly formed cavities to collapse and the landscape to fall in on itself. The exact trigger for the formation of the chaotic terrain here at this location is still unclear today.
