Floral-Shaped Volcano on Cerberus Fossae

This is a small volcano superposed on the flanks of a larger one of the Cerberus Tholi.

This smaller feature has a single vent, aligned along a Cerberus Fossae trough, and it has flows radiating away from this vent in all directions, somewhat looking like a flower.

These flows appear somewhat darker than their surroundings, though this might be owing to roughness as much as to relative youth. Note that even at Context Camera (CTX) scale, we can see that there are some small impact craters superimposed on this feature, indicating that it is not entirely young.

This is a stereo pair with ESP_023811_1880.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Note: Cerberus Tholi is a group of seven volcanic hills located in Elysium Planitia. Cerberus Tholi is located south of the eastern end of Cerberus Fossae, and roughly encircle Tombaugh Crater.

Cerberus Fossae Fractures

Cerberus Fossae is an extensive fracture system in the southern part of Elysium Planitia.

These fractures have acted as a conduit for the release of water and lava onto the surface relatively recently in Martian geologic history. Dark sediment from the trough walls are visible, as well as some subsurface layers.

This is a stereo pair with PSP_004006_1900.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona