Which Came First?

Scaled Image

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

About this image

Towards the top of this VIS image is a "T" shaped depression and two sections of narrow channel. Fluids (like water - or in this case most likely lava) flow downhill. If the depression formed first, the channels would have flowed towards the depression from both sides and then emptied into the depression, likely forming a delta deposit on both sides. If the channel formed first, it was a single channel and the fluid creating it stopped flowing before the depression was formed. Analysis of this image finds that the channel was created before the depression. This image is located on the northeast part of the Elysium Mons volcanic complex.

Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. 

Context

Image ID: 
V53550009 (View data in Mars Image Explorer)
26.5166
151.079
53550
2014-01-09 04:59
Wed, 2014-02-26
VIS
1024 pixels (18 km)
3648 pixels (67 km)
0.018401 km/pixel
0.018535 km/pixel

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