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The geology of Mars is the scientific study of the surface, crust, and interior of the planet Mars. It emphasizes the composition, structure, history, and physical processes that shape the planet. It is analogous to the field of terrestrial geology. In planetary science, the term geology is used in its broadest sense to mean the study of the ...
The surface appearance of some regions of Mars is due to how this unit has degraded. It is a major cause of the surface appearance of lobate debris aprons. [56] The layering of the upper plains mantling unit and other mantling units are believed to be caused by major changes in the planet's climate.
Today, Mars is believed to be largely tectonically inactive. However, observational evidence and its interpretation suggests that this was not the case further back in Mars's geological history. At the scale of the whole planet, two large scale physiographic features are apparent on the surface.
Studies of impact crater densities on the Martian surface [11] [12] have delineated four broad periods in the planet's geologic history. [13] The periods were named after places on Mars that had large-scale surface features, such as large craters or widespread lava flows, that date back to these time periods.
The composition of Mars covers the branch of the geology of Mars that describes the make-up of the planet Mars. "Hottah" rock outcrop on Mars – ancient streambed [1] [2][3] viewed by the Curiosity Rover (September 12, 2012, white balanced) (raw, close-up, 3-D version). Abundant iron compounds are responsible for the bright brownish-red colour ...
Areography, also known as the geography of Mars, is a subfield of planetary science that entails the delineation and characterization of regions on Mars. [1] [2] [3] Areography is mainly focused on what is called physical geography on Earth; that is the distribution of physical features across Mars and their cartographic representations.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. The surface of Mars is orange-red because it is covered in iron (III) oxide dust, giving it the nickname " the Red Planet ". [22][23] Mars is among the brightest objects in Earth's sky, and its high-contrast albedo features have made it a common subject for telescope viewing.
Volcanism is a process in which magma from a planet's interior rises through the crust and erupts on the surface. The erupted materials consist of molten rock (lava), hot fragmental debris (tephra or ash), and gases. Volcanism is a principal way that planets release their internal heat. Volcanic eruptions produce distinctive landforms, rock ...