This image shows fissures on a small shield volcano that sits east of the much larger Tharsis Montes volcanoes. Fissure eruptions are very common on Earth. On Mars, numerous fissure eruptions appear throughout the youngest volcanic terrains, although no active eruptions have been observed yet.

Fissures on Mars are often distinguished as being linear (negative-relief) troughs or depressions such as this one (marked A in the cutout). Its edges appear raised, but that may be due to thick accumulations of wind-blown dust. Just to the south is a much narrower fissure (B) that is parallel to A but appears to be slightly raised (positive relief) with erupted material to either side. B could have been very much like the fissure eruptions that have occurred recently in Iceland and Hawaii.

Written by: Sarah Sutton  (18 September 2024)


This is a stereo pair with ESP_083321_1780.