NASA VIKING PROGRAM (1975-1982)
The three Tharsis Montes:
Ascraeus Mons (18, 225m / 18, 1 kms - 50, 793 ft / 11, 1mi)
Pavonis Mons (14, 000m / 14km - 46, 000ft / 8,7 mi)
Arsia Mons (17, 761 m 17 / - 58, 721ft / 11 mi)
MARS
1. The Three Tharsis montes photographed in 1980 by Viking1 orbiter
2. Arsia Mons, Viking mosaic showing the massive side lobes on the southwest (top) and northeast (bottom) sides of the volcano
The three Tharsis Montes (Fountains mountains in latin) are three large shield volcanoes in the Tharsis region of the planet Mars. From north to south (up to down on the image), the volcanoes are: : Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons and Arsia Mons named by Giovanni Schiaparelli after the legendary Roman forest of Arsia Silva.
Arsia Mons (17, 761 m 17 / - 58, 721ft / 11 mi) is the southernmost of three volcanos (collectively known as Tharsis Montes) on the Tharsis bulge near the equator of the planet Mars, the tallest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, is to its northwest.
Arsia Mons (down left on the first photo) is a shield volcano with a relatively low slope and a massive caldera at its summit.
The three Tharsis Montes, together with some smaller volcanoes to the north, form a rather straight line. It has been proposed that these are the result of plate tectonics, which on Earth makes chains of "hot spot" volcanoes.
The Tharsis Montes volcanoes lie near the equator, along the crest of a vast volcanic plateau called the Tharsis region or Tharsis bulge.
The three Tharsis Montes volcanoes are evenly spaced about 700 km (430 mi) apart from peak to peak, in a line oriented southwest-northeast. This alignment is unlikely to be coincidental.
The mission
Viking 1 Orbiter color mosaic of the eastern Tharsis region on Mars. At left, from top to bottom, are the three 25 km high volcanic shields, Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons. The shield at upper right is Tharsis Tholus. The canyon system at lower right is Noctis Labyrinthus, the westernmost extension of Valles Marineris. The smooth area at bottom center is Syria Planum. The distance between the calderas of Ascraeus and Pavonis Mons is 800 km. North is up. The images used to produce this mosaic were taken during orbit 1334 on 22 February 1980.
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2018 - Wandering Vertexes...
by Francis Rousseau
