Olympica Fossae
The Olympica Fossae are a collection of troughs and depressions
located in northern Tharsis, south of the Alba Patera volcano. The Mars
Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera has been sending back
unprecedented, spectacular views of this region. The Olympica
Fossae are especially interesting because they show landforms that
run the entire range of things seen elsewhere on Mars. This picture
shows many examples, including layered outcrops in canyon walls,
evenly-spaced dunes on the canyon floors, dark landslide streaks on
the canyon walls, pits formed by ground collapse, and streamlined forms
related to the flow of water, mud, or lava.
Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of
Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer
mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project
operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner,
Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and
Denver, CO.
Photo Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
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