Chaos Terrain - Chaos Terrain On Mars

Chaos Terrain On Mars

• Map of Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle with major features labeled. Aureum Chaos is near the top of the map.

• Huge canyons in Aureum Chaos, as seen by THEMIS. Gullies are rare at this latitude. Image from Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle.

• Iani Chaos, as seen by THEMIS. Sand from eroding mesas is covering brighter floor material. Click on image to see relationship of Iani Chaos to other local features. Image from Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle.

• Quadrangle map of Oxia Palus labeled with major features. This quadrangle contains many collapsed areas of Chaos and many outflow channels (old river valleys).

• Erosion in Aram Chaos, as seen by THEMIS. Image in Oxia Palus quadrangle.

• Blocks in Aram showing possible source of water, as seen by THEMIS. Image in Oxia Palus quadrangle.

• Hydraotes Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Click on image to seen channels and layers. Scale bar is 1000 meters long. Image in Oxia Palus quadrangle.

• Hydaspis Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Image in Oxia Palus quadrangle.

• Light colored layers in Eos Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Image is in Oxia Palus quadrangle.

• Map of Phaethontis quadrangle. Click on to enlarge and see some crater names. Gorgonum Chaos is near the top of map.

• Gorgonum Chaos as seen by Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter HiRISE. Image is 4 km wide. Image in Phaethontis quadrangle.

• Atlantis Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Click on image to see mantle covering and possible gullies. The two images are different parts of the original image. They have different scales. Image in Phaethontis quadrangle.

• Ister Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Location is the Lunae Palus quadrangle.

• Close-up of Ister Chaos, as seen by HiRISE. Location is the Lunae Palus quadrangle.

On April 1, 2010, NASA released the first images under the HiWish program in which just plain folk suggested places for HiRISE to photograph. One of the eight locations was Aureum Chaos. The first image below gives a wide view of the area. The next two images are from the HiRISE image.

• THEMIS image of wide view of following HiRISE images. Black box shows approximate location of HiRISE images. This image is just a part of the vast area known as Aureum Chaos. Click on image to see more details.

• Aureum Chaos, as seen by HiRISE, under the HiWish program.

• Close up view of previous image, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Small round dots are boulders.