Context image

The linear depression in today's VIS image is part of Cerberus Fossae. The feature is termed a graben and was formed by crustal extension that allowed material to subside between paired tectonic faults. The straight sides and uniform depths are indications that this is tectonic feature rather than a channel caused by fluid erosion.

Orbit Number: 79345 Latitude: 9.14199 Longitude: 159.698 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-11-03 14:06

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

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.