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Scarps Confined to Crater Floors

Jan. 15, 2000
This image, from NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows several scarps, which appear to be confined to crater floors. The scarp in the crater at the upper left of the image has been diverted by the central peaks.

This picture shows several scarps, which appear to be confined to crater floors.

The scarp in the crater at the upper left of the image has been diverted by the central peaks, suggesting it may be a flow front. However, a dark line on the interior eastern wall appears to join the floor scarp, and if they are related, the scarp probably has a tectonic origin.

Two scarps occur on the floor of a 90-kilometer diameter crater at the top right of the image. The materials behind the uppermost scarp has a different texture than the rest of the floor and appears to mantle the other scarp.

The scarp in the 35-kilometer at the center of the image consists of a broad lobe 10 km wide. (See PIA02447for a higher resolution view)

This image (FDS 27428) was acquired during the spacecraft's first encounter with Mercury.

The Mariner 10 mission, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science, explored Venus in February 1974 on the way to three encounters with Mercury-in March and September 1974 and in March 1975. The spacecraft took more than 7,000 photos of Mercury, Venus, the Earth and the Moon.

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