HiPOD: Saturday, 10 August 2024
A Boulder Festival in Masursky Crater

A Boulder Festival in Masursky Crater
This image covers part of the chaotic terrain in Masursky Crater, and was targeted due to evidence that ejecta from Mojave Crater—to the south—may have modified the landscape. Mojave Crater may be the most recent large (more than 50-kilometer wide) impact crater on Mars, and produced some remarkable fluvial (water-carved) landscapes.

In Masursky Crater we see huge numbers of boulder trails. These appear as dashed lines produced by boulders tumbling down steep slopes, periodically gouging troughs in the ground. Why are there so many boulder trails here? Possibly the ejecta from Mojave Crater disturbed the surface and sent the boulders tumbling downhill.

ID: ESP_044653_1915
date: 4 February 2016
altitude: 278 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_044653_1915
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA

Black & white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full observation details, visit the ID link.