Albor Tholus

Albor Tholus is an extinct volcano in the Elysium Planitia area on Mars. It lies south of the neighbouring volcanoes Elysium Mons and Hecates Tholus. Albor Tholus is 4.5 kilometres high and has a diameter of 160 km at its base. Its caldera has a diameter of 30 km and is 3 km deep, it can put in a whole Mount Etna. Compared with terrestrial volcanoes the caldera is unusually deep, the elevation of the lowest level of the caldera being the same as the base of the volcano; however, the original lower slopes of Albor Tholus may have been covered by lava flows from its larger neighbor, Elysium Mons. Evaluations by the Mars probe Mars Express found that the volcanoes of the Elysium region were active over long periods.

  • Topography of Albor Tholus and its neighborhood.

  • Albor Tholus as seen by THEMIS. The area has undergone extensive faulting.