Faults in Ius Chasma
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
Faults in Ius Chasma
ESP_025020_1720  Science Theme: Tectonic Processes
Ius Chasma is one of many steep-sided interconnected depressions (chasmata) that comprise Valles Marineris, the largest canyon system in the Solar System.

The chasma is approximately 900 kilometers long and is located in western Valles Marineris. The floor of Ius Chasma is between 8 to 10 kilometers deep and is divided by a prominent east-west trending ridge known as Geryon Montes.

The region in this image is located (approximately 7.8 degrees South, 279.5 degrees East) on the floor of Ius Chasma. A variety of light and medium-toned terrains and layered units of different rock types comprise the chasma floor. Prominent faults of various sizes have displaced and deformed these layered units and outcrops, some in a spectacular fashion.

The ejecta of small fresh-appearing impact craters formed in the light-toned units reveal the existence of a darker (likely basaltic) underlying substrate. Linear dunes are located on top of the lighter-tone outcropping units and are ubiquitous on the chasma floor. These dunes are oriented in a north-south direction and indicate prevailing westerly winds through the canyon.

Written by: Ginny Gulick  (29 November 2011)

This is a stereo pair with ESP_024954_1720.
 
Acquisition date
28 November 2011

Local Mars time
14:49

Latitude (centered)
-7.819°

Longitude (East)
279.488°

Spacecraft altitude
264.9 km (164.6 miles)

Original image scale range
27.9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~84 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
25 cm/pixel and North is up

Map projection
Equirectangular

Emission angle
19.3°

Phase angle
33.2°

Solar incidence angle
48°, with the Sun about 42° above the horizon

Solar longitude
35.8°, Northern Spring

For non-map projected images
North azimuth:  96°
Sub-solar azimuth:  35.0°
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POSTSCRIPT
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.