Feature type | valley network[1] |
---|---|
Location | Arcadia quadrangle |
Coordinates | 36°41′N 266°54′E / 36.68°N 266.9°E |
Enipeus Vallis is a valley in the northern hemisphere of the planet Mars. It is centered at lat. 37°N, long. 267°E in the Arcadia quadrangle (MC-3) between the large volcano Alba Mons and the Tempe Terra plateau. The valley follows a gently sinuous, north–south path for a distance of about 357 km (222 mi).[2] It is likely an ancient watercourse that formed during the early Hesperian (or late Noachian) period,[3] around 3.7 billion years ago.[4]
The valley is named after a river in Thessaly, Greece. Enipeus is also the name of a river god in classical mythology.[5] The International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally adopted the name Enipeus Vallis in 1991.[2] Vallis is the Latin word for valley.[6]