New images of Mars explore the depths of the “Mariner Valley”, on the red planet, the largest system of giant valleys and canyons in the solar system, according to RT.
European Space Agency (ESA) images, taken using the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on the Mars Express spacecraft, show incredible detail on the floor of the Valley Marineris, or as it is known as Valles Marineris.
The Mariner Valley is about 4,000 km (2,485 miles) long, 200 km (120 miles) wide, and 7 km deep. It is about 10 times longer and 20 times wider than the wide valley system found in North America, the Grand Canyon.
As the largest groove system in the solar system, it will extend from the northern tip of Norway to the southern tip of Sicily, according to ground estimates.
Unlike the Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River, the Falls Mariners are believed to have been formed by tectonic plates drifting apart.
This violent movement on the surface of Mars created the floor of a jagged valley, as shown in the new images.
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft focused on two intriguing craters, Ius Chasma and Tithonium Chasma. These magnificent trenches form part of the huge valley and extend to a depth of 7 km. For comparison, the “Grand Canyon” in the United States is just over a mile at its deepest point.
The section shown in the image of the Mars Express appears to be just a small part of the valley system.
Unlike the Grand Canyon, the False Marineries is not formed by a river. Some evidence of his formative years can be seen in what the European Space Agency calls the “thorny floor”.
Pictures from the Valley of Mars
Latest photos from the Valley of Mars
In the statement accompanying the new images, ESA officials wrote: “When the tectonic plates disintegrated, they appear to have caused the formation of jagged triangles of rock that look like a row of shark teeth. Over time, these rock formations collapsed and eroded.”
The valley is a fascinating place for more than just its size and appearance, as the European Space Agency has found evidence of water ice there. Human visitors in the future will need to take advantage of the water resources that already exist on the planet, especially if they intend to stay for a long time.
The Mars Express spacecraft has orbited the Red Planet since 2003, photographing the surface of Mars, mapping its minerals, determining the composition and circulation of the weak atmosphere, exploring what’s under its crust, and how different phenomena interact in the Martian environment.