ESA's Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter have captured intriguing images of 'spider-shaped' patterns on Mars surface.
One such area is Inca City, a region with a large circle of ridges suspected to be within a large crater formed from an impact.
Scientists are still working to understand exact origin and significance of these formations.
Spider-like patterns formed when sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at bottom of layer to turn into gas and builds up, creating tall fountains or geysers that drag dark material up to surface.
These formations, not actual spiders but dark spots created by gas bursting through carbon dioxide ice, can be seen in various locations on the planet.
ESA's Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter have captured intriguing images of 'spider-shaped' patterns on the surface of Mars. These formations, which are not actual spiders but dark spots created by gas bursting through carbon dioxide ice, can be seen in various locations on the planet.
One such area is Inca City, a region with a large circle of ridges that is suspected to be within a large crater formed from an impact. The name 'Inca City' comes from the linear, almost geometric network of ridges that resemble Incan ruins or labyrinths.
The spider-like patterns are formed when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months. As the sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, it builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice, creating tall fountains or geysers that drag dark material up to the surface.
These spider-shaped formations are a fascinating discovery for scientists, who are still working to understand their exact origin and significance. The images captured by Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter provide valuable insights into the complex geology of Mars and offer clues about its past and present environmental conditions.
ESA’s Mars Express captured images of ‘spiders’ on Mars, small dark features formed when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months.
The ‘spider-shaped’ patterns are a result of gas bursting through slabs of overlying ice and dragging dark material up to the surface.
Inca City is a linear, almost geometric network of ridges discovered in 1972 by NASA’s Mariner 9 probe. It is formally known as Angustus Labyrinthus.
Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter have imaged these 'spider-shaped' patterns beneath the ice.
Inca City is a region on Mars with a large circle of ridges, suspected to be within a large crater that formed from an impact.
Accuracy
Mars Express captured images of 'spiders' on Mars
Carbon dioxide ice turns into gas in Martian springtime
Dark spots can be seen all over the Mars Express image, mostly in the left dark region near 'Inca City'
Inca City is a linear, almost geometric network of ridges discovered in 1972 by NASA's Mariner 9 probe. It is formally known as Angustus Labyrinthus.
Mars Express has been highly productive in understanding Mars’ surface, minerals, atmosphere composition and circulation, crust probing and Martian environment over its lifetime.
