Maja Valles

The Maja Valles are a large system of ancient outflow channels in the Lunae Palus quadrangle on Mars. Their location is 12.6° north latitude and 58.3° west longitude. The name is a Nepali word for "Mars".[1] The Maja Valles begin at Juventae Chasma. Parts of the system have been partially buried by thin volcanic debris. The channels end at Chryse Planitia.[2][3]

Maja Valles
Waters from the Vedra Valles, Maumee Valles, and Maja Valles went from Lunae Planum on the left, to Chryse Planitia on the right. Image is located in Lunae Palus quadrangle and was taken by Viking Orbiter.
Coordinates12.6°N 58.3°W / 12.6; -58.3

Huge outflow channels were found in many areas by the Viking Orbiters. They showed that floods of water broke through dams, carved deep valleys, eroded grooves into bedrock, and traveled thousands of kilometers.[4][5][6] The Maja Valles show evidence of lava flows in the northern section. Studies with HiRISE and CTX images suggest that the lava flows did not reach the turbulence necessary to erode large channels. So, the Maja Valles are believed to be have formed through water erosion.[7]

  • Area around the Northern Kasei Valles, also showing Bahram Vallis and the Vedra Valles, Maumee Valles, and Maja Valles. Map location is in Lunae Palus quadrangle and includes parts of Lunae Planum and Chryse Planitia.
  • Map showing relative positions of several channel systems in Lunae Palus quadrangle, including the Vedra Valles, Maumee Valles, and Maja Valles. Box indicates where these valleys can be found. Colors show elevation.
  • Tear-drop shaped islands caused by flood waters from the Maja Valles, as seen by Viking Orbiter. Image is located in Oxia Palus quadrangle.
  • Streamlined islands seen by Viking showed that large floods occurred on Mars. Image is of a small part of the Maja Valles and is located in Lunae Palus quadrangle.
  • Scour patterns, located in Lunae Palus quadrangle, were produced by flowing water from the Maja Valles, which lie just to the left of this mosaic. Detail of flow around Dromore Crater is shown on the next image.
  • Great amounts of water were required to carry out the erosion shown in this Viking image of a small part of the Maja Valles. Image is located in Lunae Palus quadrangle.
  • A streamlined island in the Maja Valles, as seen by HiRISE. The island formed behind the impact crater partially visible at lower right.
  • Map of Lunae Palus quadrangle with labels.

See also

References
  1. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs%5B%5D
  2. Baker, V. 1982. The Channels of Mars. University of Texas Press. Austin
  3. Keske, A., P. Christensen. 2017. MAJA VALLES: A MULTI-SOURCE FLUVIO-VOLCANIC OUTFLOW CHANNEL SYSTEM. Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017). 2985pdf.
  4. ISBN 0-8165-1257-4
  5. Raeburn, P. 1998. Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet Mars. National Geographic Society. Washington D.C.
  6. Moore, P. et al. 1990. The Atlas of the Solar System. Mitchell Beazley Publishers NY, NY.
  7. Keske, A., P. Christensen. 2017. MAJA VALLES: A MULTI-SOURCE FLUVIO-VOLCANIC OUTFLOW CHANNEL SYSTEM. Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017). 2985pdf.

Further reading
  • Baker, V.R.; Carr, M.H.; Gulick, V.C.; Williams, C.R. & Marley, M.S. "Channels and Valley Networks". In Kieffer, H.H.; Jakosky, B.M.; Snyder, C.W. & Matthews, M.S. (eds.). Mars. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press.
  • Carr, M.H. "Channels, Valleys and Gullies". The Surface of Mars. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-87201-0.
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