Lunae Palus Quadrangle - Fossa

Fossa

Large troughs (long narrow depressions) are called fossae in the geographical language used for Mars. This term is derived from Latin; therefore fossa is singular and fossae is plural. Troughs form when the crust is stretched until it breaks. The stretching can be due to the large weight of a nearby volcano. Fossae/pit craters are common near volcanoes in the Tharsis and Elysium system of volcanoes.

• Labeatis Fossae, as seen by THEMIS.

• Close-up view of Labeatis Fossae, as seen by THEMIS.