"Devastating Landslides Threaten Olympus Mons' Base"

1 min read
Source: European Space Agency
"Devastating Landslides Threaten Olympus Mons' Base"
Photo: European Space Agency
TL;DR

The European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft has captured images of the dramatic surroundings of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the Solar System. The images reveal a crumpled feature named Lycus Sulci, which is located on the edges of the volcano's aureole. The aureole tells the story of how Olympus Mons's lower flanks collapsed millions of years ago, triggering landslides that spread across the surrounding plains. These landslides became compressed and stretched as they moved away from the volcano, creating the characteristic wrinkles seen in the images. The images also show the immense proportions of Olympus Mons, with Yelwa Crater located over 1000 km away from the volcano's peak. Mars Express has been orbiting Mars since 2003, providing valuable insights into the planet's surface and atmosphere.

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