This broken-up patch of the Martian surface is part of a larger feature called the “Ister Chaos,” a surface feature that measures roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) across and is located near 13 degrees North latitude and 304 degrees East longitude.

This disrupted surface is characterized by a collection of rounded to flat-topped mounds of various sizes connected by narrow flat floors, typical of the aptly named “chaotic terrain” on Mars. What could have caused this flat surface to break into pieces?

You might imagine that a flat surface could be broken up if it was inflated or collapsed. One hypothesis is that large amounts of water were released from deep below the ground to cause the surface break up. A greater understanding of how and when chaotic terrain on Mars formed could tell us where large amounts of water flowed on Mars in the past.

Written by: Sharon Wilson  (17 October 2024)


This is a stereo pair with ESP_084453_1925.