Tyrrhenus Mons Flank

Scaled Image

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

About this image

Today's VIS image crosses part of the northwestern flank of Tyrrhenus Mons. Tyrrhenus Mons is one of the oldest Martian volcanoes. Unlike most of the other Martian volcanoes, it is made of layers that include softer volcanic ash rather than just basaltic flows. This difference is evident in how the volcano is being eroded, creating broad intersecting sinuous channels.

On Earth basaltic flows form broad shield volcanoes like Hawaii. Shield volcanoes can erupt from the central crater, as well as along the flanks. Volcanoes with ash layers, called composite volcanoes, form steeper sides like Mt Rainier and Mt Fuji, with material erupting only from the central caldera. Tyrrhenus Mons more closely resembles composite volcanoes.

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

Context

-20.0505
105.715
101079
2024-09-27 02:23
Tue, 2025-04-22
VIS
512 pixels (17 km)
1824 pixels (62 km)
0.034402 km/pixel
0.0348111 km/pixel

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