The cross-shaped slits captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express orbiter were recently shared on the internet. These grooves have been likened to scratch marks and appear as part of a massive fault system on Mars known as the Tantalus Fossae.
Although they look like they were left by a giant monster, these crevices have a much simpler explanation. The rifts are the result of natural geological processes that occurred during the eruption of a nearby volcano.
ESA said in an April 28 blog post about the image, “At first glance, these features look like someone has run their fingernails over the surface of the Red Planet,” he continued. “Although Tantalus Fossae is not that dramatic as a formation, Mars
The space agency says the trough system runs along the eastern edge of a Martian volcano called Alba Mons. Fossa, a term meaning shallow depression, was formed as the summit of Alba Mons rose. The uplift caused the surrounding surface to bend and rupture, leaving behind a series of rifts, which are 1,000 km long and 350 meters deep.
The Mars Express orbiter was launched in 2003 and was Europe’s first mission to the Red Planet. It examines the Martian atmosphere and climate. It uses many different camera systems to monitor and look for traces of water. ESA was preparing to send its first rover to Mars this year, but has delayed the launch date to 2026 at the earliest after Russia invaded Ukraine.
According to a statement made last week by Agency Jorge Vago, intensive efforts are being made to continue the ExoMars mission after the termination of cooperation with Russia.
ESA announced in March that it would be impossible to continue working with Russia, which provided the launch vehicle and landing platform for the mission. There are currently four spacecraft on the Martian surface, three operated by NASA and one operated by the Chinese space agency.
33023
