Tag Archives: central peaks

THEMIS: Bamberg Crater dune field

Posted on August 14, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 14, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows a small field of sand dunes on the floor of Bamberg Crater. At the top of the image is a small group of peaks forming a rough circle. … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Bedrock in the central peaks of Hale Crater

Posted on March 22, 2019 by rburnham

This long image is entirely over the extensive central peak complex of Hale Crater. Of particular interest are bedrock outcrops and associated fine-grained sediments with different colors. This 153-kilometer diameter crater was named after American astronomer George Ellery Hale. [More … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Gullies in Galle

Posted on March 5, 2019 by rburnham

This image was taken of the hills that resulted from uplifted rocks due to an impact that formed the 230-kilometer diameter Galle Crater. These hills form a segment of a circle known as a “peak ring” and this particular formation … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Exposing the rock in impact craters

Posted on February 7, 2019 by rburnham

In this complex crater (about 44-kilometers in diameter), we see bedrock in several locations from different depths in the crust. The central uplift exposes large fragments of green-toned bedrock that possibly originated from several kilometers beneath the surface. To the … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Cross-section of a complex crater

Posted on January 25, 2019 by rburnham

This image shows a cross-section of a complex crater in Terra Cimmeria. Starting in the center, we see a series of peaks with exposed bedrock. These peaks formed during the impact event when material that was originally several kilometers below … Continue reading →

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How do impacts make Mars central-pit craters?

Posted on January 18, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Samantha Peel and two co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] Formation of central pits in impact craters on Mars: A statistical investigation of proposed mechanisms • Formation mechanisms for central pits … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Central peaks of Hale Crater

Posted on January 11, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, January 11, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows part of the floor of Hale Crater and the elongate axis of the central peak mountains. Hale Crater is an example of an oblique impact crater. The mountain … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Tell-tale bedrock in Tyrrhena Terra

Posted on October 9, 2018 by rburnham

Large craters, like this 50-kilometer diameter one, can uplift material from below and form a mountain-like central peak. Craters of this size on Mars become unstable as they form and collapse due to gravity. Craters with central peaks and terraced … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Dunes next to a central peak

Posted on July 23, 2018 by rburnham

The dunes, they are coming for you! These dunes are next to a central peak in a crater. Beautiful Mars series. [More at links]

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THEMIS: Milankovic Crater dunes

Posted on June 4, 2018 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, June 4, 2018. Milankovic Crater is located in central Arcadia Planitia. This VIS image shows small dark sand dunes on the crater floor, and larger dunes within the central crater peak/pit feature. With a diameter … Continue reading →

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