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Flows of Ascraeus

Sept. 11, 2005
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows heavily-cratered lava flows on the slopes of the martian volcano, Ascraeus Mons on Mars. The mountain is a classic shield volcano, similar in many respects to the volcanoes of Hawaii.

11 September 2005
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows heavily-cratered lava flows on the slopes of the martian volcano, Ascraeus Mons. The mountain is a classic shield volcano, similar in many respects to the volcanoes of Hawai'i. Shield volcanoes typically form from silica-, oxygen-, and aluminum-bearing rocks that are enriched in iron and magnesium -- that is, basalt. The lava flows of Ascraeus Mons are most likely basaltic, as are the volcanic rocks in Gusev Crater that were examined by the Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, during its first year on the martian surface.

Location near: 10.3°N, 103.5°W
Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: lower left
Season: Northern Autumn

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