Arsia Mons Flows

Today's VIS image is located just west of Arsia Mons. The large depression in the center of the image has been partially filled with lava flows from Arsia Mons. The surface appears relatively smooth, indicating the lava was low viscosity (runny) and flowed easily.

Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes. It is 450 km (270 miles) in diameter, almost 20 km (12 miles) high, and the summit caldera is 120 km (72 miles) wide. For comparison, the tallest volcano on Earth is Mauna Kea. From its base on the sea floor, Mauna Kea measures only 10.2 km (6.3 mi) high and 121 km (75 mi) in diameter.