Planet Four Talk

Fault Lines?

  • bobkent007 by bobkent007

    Are the lines shown fault lines? They seem quite symmetrical.

    Posted

  • AdamGreen by AdamGreen

    Faults are usually identified by the displacement they cause and not really by symmetry, or depressions/ridges in the ground. however there is the possibility that the north/south line has cross cut and displaced the east/west line, which could be evidence for the north/south line being a left-lateral strike slip fault, forming the sort of 'z' shaped pattern seen in the picture. the linear trend of the line would indicate a sub-vertical fault plane. these lines could also just be river gullies, who knows?. Since the martian rock is completely homogenous in the image, true displacement is impossible to see.

    Posted

  • Portyankina by Portyankina scientist

    These are boarders of polygons of polygonal terrain similar to the permafrost polygons from Earth.

    Anya

    Posted