ESA Image Reveals Volcanic Ash Lining an Ancient Martian Waterway

ESA’s Mars Express released a high-resolution view of Shalbatana Vallis, a nearly 1,300 km long Martian channel once carved by flowing water. The image shows dark volcanic ash concentrated along the valley floor, likely carried by winds, with hints of buried ice and subsidence shaping the landscape. The findings illustrate how Mars’ ancient hydrology and volcanic activity coexisted, leaving a rich record for studying its past climate and potential habitability.