Perpendicular-view colour image of the Martian shield volcano Jovis Tholus
Perpendicular-view colour image of the Martian shield volcano Jovis Tholus
On 13 May 2021 and 2 June 2021, during orbits 21,944 and 22,011, the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) operated by the DLR Institute of Planetary Research on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft imaged an area in the north of the Tharsis region that is characterised by volcanism and tectonic structures. North is at the top of the image; the image resolution is approximately 17 metres per pixel. The Jovis Tholus shield volcano is visible in the centre and, to the north of it, a 30-kilometre impact crater whose ejecta deposit indicates that the impacted surface material must have contained water or ice. Throughout this area, tectonic grabens created by the distention of Tharsis as it was uplifted are visible, as well as the outlines of cooled flows of low-viscosity lava. Jovis Tholus is located on the Tharsis uplift, which was one of the most active volcanic regions and is situated near the Martian equator. With a diameter of almost 4000 kilometres, it is almost as large as Europe. The majority of Martian volcanoes are located here.
