Long, narrow, shallow depression
In planetary nomenclature, a fossa (pl. fossae ) is a long, narrow depression (trough) on the surface of an extraterrestrial body, such as a planet or moon. The term, which means "ditch" or "trench" in Latin, is not a geological term as such but a descriptor term used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for topographic features whose geology or geomorphology is uncertain due to lack of data or knowledge of the exact processes that formed them. Fossae are believed to be the result of a number of geological processes, such as faulting or subsidence. Many fossae on Mars are probably graben.
On Mars
The Tharsis quadrangle is home to large troughs (long narrow depressions) called fossae in the geographical language used for Mars. This term is derived from Latin; therefore fossa is singular and fossae is plural.[1] Troughs form when the crust is stretched until it breaks. The stretching can be due to the large weight of a nearby volcano. Studies have shown that the volcanoes of Tharsis caused most of the major fossae on Mars. The stress that caused the fossae and other tectonic features is centered in Noctis Labyrinthus, at 4 S and 253 E. But the center has moved somewhat over time.[2][3] Fossae/pit craters are common near volcanoes in the Tharsis and Elysium system of volcanoes.[4] A trough often has two breaks with a middle section moving down, leaving steep cliffs along the sides; such a trough is called a graben.[5] Lake George, in northern New York State, is a lake that sits in a graben. Sometimes, a line of pits form as material collapse into a void that results from the stretching. Pit craters do not have rims or ejecta around them, like impact craters do. Studies have found that on Mars a fault may be as deep as 5 km, that is the break in the rock goes down to 5 km. Moreover, the crack or fault sometimes widens or dilates. This widening causes a void to form with a relatively high volume. When material slides into the void, a pit crater or a pit crater chain forms. On Mars, individual pit craters can join to form chains or even to form troughs that are sometimes scalloped.[6] Other ideas have been suggested for the formation of fossae and pit craters. There is evidence that they are associated with dikes of magma. Magma might move along, under the surface, breaking the rock and more importantly melting ice. The resulting action would cause a crack to form at the surface. Dikes caused both by tectonic stretching (extension) and by dikes are found in Iceland.[7] Pit craters are not common on Earth. Sinkholes, where the ground falls into a hole (sometimes in the middle of a town) resemble pit craters on Mars. However, on the Earth these holes are caused by limestone being dissolved thereby causing a void.[6][8][9]
Knowledge of the locations and formation mechanisms of pit craters and fossae is important for the future colonization of Mars because they may be reservoirs of water.[10]
Tharsis quadrangle
Arcadia quadrangle
Map of
Arcadia quadrangle with major features labeled. Several large fossae are indicated on the map
Graben near
Alba Patera.
Graben and catenae, collapse features, both caused by faults. When the crust is stretched, faults form and material falls into voids created by the stretching. Uranius Tholus (upper) and Ceraunius Tholus (largest)
volcanoes are visible in wide context view, below and to the right of Alba Patera. Image is located in
Arcadia quadrangle. Image taken with
THEMISForces from different directions caused this complex of
grabens to form. Image is located in Arcadia quadrangle. Image taken with THEMIS
Mareotis Fossae Region, as seen by HiRISE. Image is located in Arcadia quadrangle
Tantalus Fossae, as seen by HiRISE. Click on image to see dust devil tracks. Image is located in Arcadia quadrangle
Elysium quadrangle
Mare Tyrrhenum quadrangle
Map of
Mare Tyrrhenum quadrangle. Tyrrhena Patera is a major
volcano with pit craters.
Tyrrhena Patera, as seen by HiRISE and suggested by Ehsan Sanaei's high school astronomy club in Yazd, Iran. Click on image to see excellent view of pit crater chains and concentric features around a volcano.
Memnonia quadrangle
Phoenicus Lacus quadrangle
Oti Fossae, as seen by THEMIS. These parallel graben are found on the northeastern side of Arsia Mons; they are in line with the NE/SW trend of the three volcanoes in Tharsis.
Oti Fossae, as seen by THEMIS. These parallel graben are found on the northeastern side of Arsia Mons; they are in line with the NE/SW trend of the three volcanoes in Tharsis.
Diacria quadrangle
Phaethontis quadrangle
Ismenius Lacus quadrangle
Coloe Fossae Dikes and/or
faults, as seen by HiRISE. Dikes and faults may have produced mineral deposits. Coloe Fossae is in the
Ismenius Lacus quadrangle.
Coloe Fossae lineated valley fill, as seen by HiRISE. Coloe Fossae is in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. Scale bar is 500 meters long.
Coloe Fossae Pits, as seen by HiRISE. Pits are believed to result from escaping water. Coloe Fossae is in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle.
Cebrenia quadrangle
Galaxias Fossae Trough, as seen by HiRISE. Image in the
Cebrenia quadrangle.
Hephaestus Fossae: two views, as seen by HiRISE. Picture on right lies to the top (north) of other picture. Fossa (geology) often form by material moving into an underground void. Image located in Cebrenia quadrangle.
Lunae Palus quadrangle
Amenthes quadrangle
Wall of
Amenthes Fossae, as seen by HiRISE under
HiWish program.
Large pits, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
Trough, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
Hephaestus Fossae Two Views, as seen by HiRISE. Picture on right lies to the top (north) of other picture. Fossa (geology) often form by material moving into an underground void.
Troughs, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
References
- ^ Mars Art Gallery Martian Feature Name Nomenclature
- ^ Michael H. Carr (2006). The surface of Mars. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-87201-0. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ Anderson, Robert C.; Dohm, James M.; Golombek, Matthew P.; Haldemann, Albert F. C.; Franklin, Brenda J.; Tanaka, Kenneth L.; Lias, Juan; Peer, Brian (25 September 2001). "Primary centers and secondary concentrations of tectonic activity through time in the western hemisphere of Mars". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 106 (E9): 20563–20585. Bibcode:2001JGR...10620563A. doi:10.1029/2000JE001278. ISSN 0148-0227.
- ^ Skinner, J. A.; Skinner, L. A.; Kargel, J. S. (March 12–16, 2007). Re-assessment of Hydrovolcanism-based Resurfacing within the Galaxias Fossae Region of Mars (PDF). 38th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Science. Vol. XXXVIII. League City, Texas. p. 1998. Bibcode:2007LPI....38.1998S.
- ^ HiRISE | Craters and Pit Crater Chains in Chryse Planitia (PSP_008641_2105)
- ^ a b Wyrick, D. Y.; Ferrill, D. A.; Sims, D. W.; Colton, S. L. (March 17–21, 2003). Distribution, Morphology and Structural Associations of Martian Pit Crater Chains (PDF). 34th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Science. Vol. XXXIV. League City, Texas. Bibcode:2003LPI....34.2025W.
- ^ HiRISE | Graben in Memnonia Fossae (PSP_005376_1575)
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ Mars Global Surveyor MOC2-620 Release
- ^ Ferrill, David A.; Wyrick, Danielle Y.; Morris, Alan P.; Sims, Darrell W.; Franklin, Nathan M. (2004). "Dilational fault slip and pit chain formation on Mars". GSA Today. 14 (10): 4. Bibcode:2004GSAT...14j...4F. doi:10.1130/1052-5173(2004)014<4:dfsapc>2.0.co;2. ISSN 1052-5173.
External resources
- Fossae on Mars
- Fossae on Venus
- Fossae on the Moon
- Fossae on Enceladus
- Fossae on Ganymede