Palus Putredinus (latin for "Marsh of Decay") is an area of the lunar surface that stretches from the crater Archimedes southeast toward the rugged Montes Apenninus range located on the southeastern edge of Mare Imbrium. This region is a nearly level, lava-flooded plain bounded by the crater Autolycus to the north and the foothills of the Montes Archimedes to the west. The selenographic coordinates are 26.5° N, 0.4° E, and it lies within a diameter of 161 km.
In the southern part of this area is a rille system designated Rimae Archimedes. To the south is a prominent linear rille named Rima Bradley, and to the east is the Rima Hadley, which served as the landing site for Apollo 15, and the Rimae Fresnel. Just to the northwest of the Palus Putredinus midpoint is the nearly submerged crater Spurr. Luna 2 crashed in this area.
|