| Noctis Labyrinthus | |
|---|---|
In this Viking 1 image, the canyons are filled with mist from frost sublimated by the early-morning sun. (South is toward the top.) Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech. |
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| Length | 1,263.0 |
Noctis Labyrinthus, "the labyrinth of the night", is a region of Mars between the Valles Marineris and the Tharsis upland. It is located in the Phoenicis Lacus quadrangle. The region is notable for its maze-like system of deep, steep-walled valleys. The valleys and canyons of this region formed by faulting and many show classic features of grabens, with the upland plain surface preserved on the valley floor. In some places the valley floors are rougher, disturbed by landslides, and there are places where the land appears to have sunk down into pit-like formations.[1] It is thought that this faulting was triggered by volcanic activity in the Tharsis region.[2] Research, described in December 2009, found a variety of minerals--including clays, sulfates, and hydrated silicas in some of the layers. [3]