Volcanic plains in Mercury's northern hemisphere
Volcanic plains in Mercury's northern hemisphere
Vast plains of solidified lava stretch southwards from Mercury's north pole. The landscape shown here is approximately 600 by 300 kilometres wide, covering an area around half the size of Germany. Right at the centre of the image, a 'ghost crater' – a remnant of an impact crater – can be seen, with only a small part of the circular crater rim still protruding above the volcanic plain. Overall, there are fewer craters on the lava plains of Mercury than many regions of Mars, indicating that the volcanism is younger than the ancient landscapes with more craters.
Credit:
NASA/JHU-APL/Carnegie Institution of Washington