Topographical map of Aganippe Fossa at the volcano Arsia Mons
Topographical map of Aganippe Fossa at the volcano Arsia Mons
The striking 600-kilometre-long Aganippe Fossa is located at the north-western flank of the nine kilometre-tall Arsia Mons volcano. Its origin is still unclear. It could be a consequence of the volcanic activity of the Tharsis volcanoes, in other words a result of the stretching of the crust due to the growth of the Arsia Mons volcano. At its north-western flank, this channel, more than 1000 metres deep and three to seven kilometres wide, broke open. A collapsed channel of thin lava under the surface is also being discussed. The colour scale in the top right-hand corner of the image shows the approximately 2,500 metre difference in altitude between the low-lying blue and high-lying regions in red and brown.
