Mars Odyssey Mission THEMIS: Feature Image: Valley Networks (Released 30 July 2003)

Vital Statistics
Location: -40.6N, 165.2E	Released: 2003-07-30
Image Size: 17.4 x 62.0 km, 1024 x 3648 px
Resolution: 17m	Instrument: VIS

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

Image Context:
Context image for 20030730a

Wide Context:
Wide context image for 20030730a

Context image credit: NASA/JPL/MOLA
View on map

Detailed information on this image is available at the THEMIS Data Releases website.

Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.

Valley networks are a relatively common feature in the southern highlands of Mars. This THEMIS visible image contains several of these small channels. Some appear clustered near the smaller crater at the top of the image. There is still some debate over the origin of these enigmatic martian landforms. Were they caused by overland flow after precipitation, underground sapping, or a combination of both?