A couple of volcanoes on Mars

2011/04/05 Kortabitarte Egiguren, Irati - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronomia

The ESA Mars Express probe has received photographs of two volcanoes in the northern hemisphere of Mars, Ceraunius Tholus and Uranius Tholus. The summits of these inactive volcanoes have long suffered the impacts of several meteorites. These impacts have caused the accumulation of remains of these meteorites on the slopes of the volcanoes.

Ceraunius Tholus is 130 km in diameter and 5.5 km in height. The morphology of the Uranius Tholus volcano is similar, although somewhat smaller, with 62 km in diameter and 4.5 km in height.

The crater between these two volcanoes is called Rahe, has a length of 35 km and a width of 18 km and is a consequence of the impact of a meteorite.

Image: Image: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)