C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Geography 494-01

S/07

Dr. Christine M. Rodrigue

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Naming Conventions The International Astronomical Union (IAU) governs

planetary nomenclature New features identified, tentatively named, and the IAU peer-

reviews the name for all planets Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature Once approved, names go into the Gazetteer of Planetary

Nomenclature This is housed at the USGS Astrogeology Research

Program: http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Naming Conventions Mars Features: Conventions for Naming Features

Albedo Features: Names from classical mythology originally assigned by Schiaparelli and Antoniadi

Large craters (craters > ~60 km): Dead scientists who contributed to the study of Mars; writers and others who added to the lore of Mars

Small craters (craters < ~60 km): Villages and towns on Earth having populations < 100,000

Large valles: Name for "Mars" or "star" in various languages

Small valles: Classical or modern names of rivers

Other features: From a nearby named albedo feature on Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps

Deimos: Authors who wrote about Martian satellites

Phobos: Scientists involved with the study of the Martian satellites, and characters and places from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars: A Whole New Vocabulary! Why?!?

Familiar geographical and geological terms are generally too misleading to use in an environment we can’t visit and understand in its own context

Calling something a “valley” implies the kind of fluvial and glacial erosion responsible for valleys here

Analogies may not apply, at least not yet

To avoid that temptation to analogies, the IAU has created a formal vocabulary to use in extraterrestrial contexts

We have to understand Mars (or any other extraterrestrial object) in its own terms and context

Sorry!

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Vastitas (vastitates) : An extensive, vast plain

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Planum (plana) : A plateau or high plain Meridiani Planum seen from Opportunity’s Pancam

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Planitia (planitiæ) : A low-lying plain or lowland Elysium Planitia

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Terra (terræ) : An extensive land mass Arabia Terra

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Chaos: an area of broken or blocky terrain Aram Chaos

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Cavus (cavi): a hollow or irregular, steep sided depression, often in clusters

Sysiphi Cavi (South Polar Layered Terrain)

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Chasma (chasmata): a deep, elongated, steep-sided depression Ganges Chasma (eastern end of Valles Marineris system)

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Vallis (valles): a valley or canyon

Ma’adim Vallis (Viking image) (and Gusev Crater, where Spirit

landed)

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Fossa (fossæ): a long, narrow depression Claritas Fossæ, in Solis Planum, taken by HRSC on Mars Express

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Labes: landslide Valles Marineris

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Labyrinthus (labyrinthi): complex of intersecting valleys or ridges Noctis Labyrinthus map (west of Valles Marineris, east of Pavonis Mons)

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Sulcus (sulci): parallel or sub-parallel furrows and ridges Amazonis Sulci, east of Elysium, Mars Express

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Dorsum (dorsa): a ridge

Dorsum Gordii, Medusa Fossæ area west of Tharsis, THEMIS IR image to left

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Crater: a circular

depression or impact feature

Crater with ice in Vastitas Borealis, Mars Express

Hellas, MOLA Phobos, Stickney Crater

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Catena (catenæ): a line or chain of craters Coprates Catenæ: impacts or pitting?

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Mensa (mensæ): mesa or

flat-topped prominence with steep sides

Ausonia Mensa in southwest Hesperia Planum

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Lingula (lingulæ): extension of plateau having rounded lobate

boundaries Australe Lingulæ

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Rupes: scarp

Cerberus Rupes, MOC

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Scopulus (scopuli): a

lobate or irregular scarp Not sure where I got this

one or where it is

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Colles: small hills or knobs Ariadnes Colles in Cimmeria, MOC, possibly eroded remnants of

deposits on crater floor

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Tholus, tholi: small conical mountain or hill

Uranius Tholus, Tharsis, Viking

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Mons (montes): large mountain (as in really large, on Mars)

Olympus Mons

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features

Patera (pateræ): an irregular crater or volcano with scalloped edges

Alba Patera Apollinaris Patera

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Tessera (tesseræ): tile-like

or polygonal terrain South Polar Region, MOC

C.M. Rodrigue, 2007Geography, CSULB

Mars: Nomenclature

Mars Features Undæ: dunes

Sand Hills of Nili Patera, Syrtis Major, MOC