Complex cave system on Mars? Options

[Harkeppler]

Another example of holes and possibly caverns can be seen in MGS photo R0701365

http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/r03_r09/fu...07/R0701365.gif

There are a lot of sinks along some ridges along the northwest flank of Arsia Mons.

The most prominent feature is given as attachment, but there are several more.

Besides this, in the upper part of the original frame there are some black

streaks at another ridge which may indicate water or ice rich sediments

common to the Arsia Mons terrain.

So it could be said that the area is a collaps region loosing its icy layers and the caves may be sinkholes.

The center of the original image is at 238.11°E and 5.40°S.

Interestingly, dark downward running streaks and gullies are slso found in the higher layers of the Tharsis vulcanos and even across the caldera of Ceraunius Tholus.

Due to the lower pressure at high altitude the streaks should be shorter than those in valleys.

Harkeppler

Attached thumbnail(s)