Penticton (crater)

Penticton
Planet Mars
Region Hellas quadrangle
Diameter 8 kilometres (5 mi)
Eponym Penticton

Penticton Crater is an impact crater in the Hellas quadrangle of Mars, located at 38.35° south latitude and 263.35° west longitude. It is 8 km in diameter and was named after a Town in British Columbia, Canada.[1]

Penticton is famous with Mars geologists because evidence for recent flowing liquid was found there. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered changes on the wall of Penticton Crater between 1999 and 2004. One interpretation of the changes was that they were caused by water flowing on the surface.[2] A further analysis, published about a year later, revealed that the deposit could have been caused by gravity moving material downslope. The slope where the deposit was sighted was close to the stability limits of dry, unconsolidated materials.[3]

References

  1. ^ http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov
  2. ^ Malin, M. C.; Edgett, K. S.; Posiolova, L. V.; McColley, S. M.; Dobrea, E. Z. N. (2006). "Present-Day Impact Cratering Rate and Contemporary Gully Activity on Mars". Science 314 (5805): 1573–1577. Bibcode 2006Sci...314.1573M. doi:10.1126/science.1135156. PMID 17158321. 
  3. ^ McEwen, AS; Hansen, CJ; Delamere, WA; Eliason, EM; Herkenhoff, KE; Keszthelyi, L; Gulick, VC; Kirk, RL et al. (2007). "A Closer Look at Water-Related Geologic Activity on Mars". Science 317 (5845): 1706–1709. Bibcode 2007Sci...317.1706M. doi:10.1126/science.1143987. PMID 17885125.