{ "title": "Athabasca Valles Distributary Channels", "authors": "HiRISE", "metadata": { "thumbnailURL": "https://static.uahirise.org/anews/2020-05-20/PSP_010045_1880.jpg", "excerpt": "This observation shows small, branching channels that are part of the larger Athabasca Valles channel system." }, "version": "1.5", "identifier": "PSP_010045_1880", "language": "en", "layout": { "columns": 10, "width": 1024, "margin": 85, "gutter": 20 }, "documentStyle": { "backgroundColor": "#faf7f2" }, "components": [ { "role": "heading1", "layout": "heading1Layout", "text": "HiPOD: 20 MAY 2020" }, { "role": "divider", "layout": "bigDividerLayout", "stroke": { "width": 3, "color": "#8c2028" } }, { "role": "title", "layout": "halfMarginBelowLayout", "text": "Athabasca Valles Distributary Channels" }, { "role": "photo", "layout": "fullBleedLayout", "caption": "The top (northern) portion of the observation. Less than 5 km across. (NASA/JPL/UArizona)", "URL": "https://static.uahirise.org/anews/2020-05-20/PSP_010045_1880.jpg" }, { "role": "body", "format": "html", "layout": "hipodMarginLayout", "text": "
This observation shows small, branching channels that are part of the larger Athabasca Valles channel system.
These side channels are “distributaries” because they bifurcate from the main channel, which is located to the northwest of this image. The distributaries flowed from north to south when they were active.
Despite having pronounced topography, nearly all the terrain in this image is covered by a thin layer of solidified lava. Long ago, the lava erupted from a fissure at the head of Athabasca Valles. It flooded this region and then receded, leaving behind only a thin coating. At higher elevations, the lava has a finely ridged but otherwise smooth texture, whereas on the floors of the distributary channels, it exhibits curved pressure ridges (that is, ridges formed by the compression, buckling and breaking of the lava flow surface) as well as a polygonal texture that bears a superficial resemblance to scaly reptile skin.
ID: PSP_010045_1880
date: 17 September 2008
altitude: 277 km
NASA/JPL/UArizona