Monday, November 11, 2013

Possible Shoreline in Southern Isidis Planitia


This area--known as the Deuteronilus contact of the Isidis Basin--has been interpreted as a possible ancient shoreline. There are also suggestions that this contact is of volcanic origin.

One direct benefit of a high resolution image is the ability to monitor the detailed morphology of the contact to help to determine whether this formation is the result of an ocean or of a volcanic filling of the Isidis Basin.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Note: For more information, see PIA17671: Hints of an Ancient Shoreline in Southern Isidis Planitia.

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