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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