Acidalia Planitia

Acidalia Planitia
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Topographic map of Acidalia Planitia
Feature typePlains
Coordinates49°46′N 339°16′E / 49.76°N 339.26°E / 49.76; 339.26
Diameter3362.97 km

Acidalia Planitia is a plain on Mars, between the Tharsis volcanic province and Arabia Terra to the north of Valles Marineris, centered at 49°48′N 339°18′E / 49.8°N 339.3°E / 49.8; 339.3.[1] Most of this region is found in the Mare Acidalium quadrangle, but a small part is in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle. The plain contains the famous Cydonia region at the contact with the heavily cratered highland terrain.

The plain is named after a corresponding albedo feature on a map by Giovanni Schiaparelli, which was in turn named after the mythological fountain of Acidalia. Some places in Acidalia Planitia show cones, which some researchers have suggested are mud volcanoes. The scientific community is divided over whether an ancient ocean existed on the plain and other parts of the northern lowlands.[2]

  1. ^ "Acidalia Planitia". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Science Center. Archived from the original on 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  2. ^ "The Martian, Part 1: Acidalia Planitia". www.jpl.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2017-04-10.