Volcanic ash deposits in Meridiani Planum
Volcanic ash deposits in Meridiani Planum
Meridiani Planum, located at the northern edge of the Southern Highlands of Mars, is located between the Tharsis volcanic region to the west and the low-lying Hellas Planitia impact basin to the southeast. Through a telescope, Meridiani Planum is a striking, dark feature, close to the Martian equator. Meridiani Planum spans 127 by 63 kilometres, equivalent to an area of roughly 8000 square kilometres, about the size of Cyprus. This dark material probably resembles volcanic ash, which is predominantly composed of minerals such as pyroxene and olivine.