Recent aqueous floods from the Cerberus Fossae, Mars

Abstract

Streamlined forms and longitudinal grooving seen in Mars Orbital Camera (MOC) images indicate recent aqueous flooding occurred downslope (south) of the southern-most Cerberus Fossae fissure. Topography from the Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA), in conjunction with the absence of fluvial features in MOC images immediately to the north of the Fossa, substantiate the idea that floods emanated from this fissure. The floodwater flowed southward onto the western Cerberus Plains, where it probably percolated into existing lava flows. Thus, shallow ice may still be extant beneath young lava flows in this equatorial region.