Noctis Labyrinthus

High resolution THEMIS daytime infrared image mosaic of Noctis Labyrinthus and its surroundings. The area is crisscrossed by multiple sets of graben running in different directions. The shield volcano Pavonis Mons is at upper left.

Mariner 9 view of the Noctis Labyrinthus "labyrinth" at the western end of Valles Marineris on Mars. Linear graben, grooves, and crater chains dominate this region, along with a number of flat-topped mesas. The image is roughly 400 km across, centered at 6 S, 105 W, at the edge of the Tharsis bulge. North is up. Image located in Phoenicis Lacus quadrangle

Noctis Labyrinthus, "the labyrinth of the night", is a region of Mars between Valles Marineris and the Tharsis upland.^[1] It is located in the Phoenicis Lacus quadrangle. The region is notable for its maze-like system of deep, steep-walled valleys. The valleys and canyons of this region formed by faulting and many show classic features of grabens, with the upland plain surface preserved on the valley floor. In some places the valley floors are rougher, disturbed by landslides, and there are places where the land appears to have sunk down into pit-like formations.^[2] It is thought that this faulting was triggered by volcanic activity in the Tharsis region.^[3] Research described in December 2009 found a variety of minerals, including clays, sulfates, and hydrated silicas, in some of the layers.^[4]

Gallery

• Noctis Labyrinthus in the lower right. The three large mountains on the left are Tharsis Montes

• Part of Noctis Labyrinthus taken with Mars Global Surveyor. Courtesy NASA/Malin Space Science Systems.

• Layers in the wall of Noctis Labyrinthus taken with Mars Global Surveyor. Courtesy NASA/Malin Space Science Systems.

• Layers in the lower portion of two neighbouring buttes within Noctis Labyrinthus.

• Section of layers near top of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Group of layers near the bottom of Noctis labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Wide view of cliff with layers in Noctis Labyrinthus.

• Close-up of part of previous image of layers in Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Wide view of floor of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Close-up of complex, dark dunes in the previous image of the floor of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Close-up of some layers in wall of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Layers on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Layers probably contain a variety of minerals that were formed with groundwater.

• Close-up of layers on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus; enlargement from the center of the previous picture.

• Floor of Noctis Labyrinthus showing layered structures, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.

• Layered mesa on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus; enlargement of the previous image.

• Edge of mesa on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus showing layers; enlargement from the same image as previous.

• Light-toned structure on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus; enlargement from same image.

• Light-toned butte on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus; enlargement from same image.

• Thin dark layers on floor of Noctis Labyrinthus; enlargement from same image.

References

External links