A a bird's-eye view of part of Shalbatana Vallis, a large channel near the Red Planet's equator, as seen by the Mars Express orbiter.
(Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)
Stunning new images from Europe's Mars Express orbiter reveal a rugged Martian landscape carved by catastrophic floods that once tore across the Red Planet billions of years ago.The dramatic new view, released by the European Space Agency (ESA) on May 13, spotlights Shalbatana Vallis, a sprawling Martian channel system near the planet's equator that stretches roughly 800 miles (1,300 kilometers, or about the length of Italy. The image was taken by Mars Express' High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), highlighting what planetary scientists call "chaotic terrain," according to a statement from the space agency."This kind of terrain is common on Mars, and has been captured before by Mars Express," ESA officials said in the statement.Researchers believe huge quantities of groundwater likely burst onto the surface in a series of catastrophic floods that surged downhill and rapidly carved the waterworn valleys visible today. The main channel seen in the images measures about 6 miles (10 kilometers) wide and plunges roughly 1,640 feet (500 meters) deep.
