Moreux (crater)

Moreux is a crater in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle on Mars with a diameter of 138 kilometers. It is located at 42.1° north latitude and 315.6° west longitude and was named by IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature after Theophile Moreux, a French astronomer and meteorologist (1867–1954).[1]

Moreux Crater
Map of Ismenius Lacus quadrangle which is located just north of Arabia, a large bright area of Mars. It contains large amounts of ice in glaciers that surround hills.
PlanetMars
Coordinates42.1°N 315.6°W / 42.1; -315.6
Diameter138 km
EponymTheophile Moreux, a French astronomer and meteorologist (1867-1954)

Glaciers

Moreux Crater's appearance has been shaped by the action of glaciers. Recent research, using a variety of images from various cameras, discovered extensive glacial modification of the surfaces of Moreux Crater's rim, wall, and central peak. These changes were caused by the emplacement of ice-rich material when the climate underwent major changes.[2] The picture from HiRISE below shows possible kettles in Moreux Crater.

  • MOLA map of Moreux Crater and other nearby craters. Colors indicate elevations.
  • Moreux Crater moraines and kettle holes, as seen by HiRISE.
  • Western edge of Moreux Crater, as seen by CTX (camera), on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Arrows indicate probable glacial moraines. Crater floor is to the right.
  • Wide, glacial valleys in Moreux Crater, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program.
  • Glacier coming out of valley, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Location is rim of Moreux Crater.

Impact craters generally have a rim with ejecta around them, in contrast volcanic craters usually do not have a rim or ejecta deposits. As craters get larger (greater than 10 km in diameter) they usually have a central peak.[3] The peak is caused by a rebound of the crater floor following the impact.[4] Sometimes craters expose layers that were buried. Rocks from deep underground are tossed onto the surface. Hence, craters can show us what lies deep under the surface.

Dunes
  • Wide view of dunes in Moreux Crater, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
  • Enlarged view of dunes on the bottom of the previous image, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
  • Close view of one large dune from the same location, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program
  • Close view of white spot among the dark dunes showing ripples and streaks

See also

References
  1. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Moreux". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. Rishitosh K., S. Sinha, S. Murty. 2015. Amazonian modification of Moreux crater: Record of recent and episodic glaciation in the Protonilus Mensae region of Mars. Icarus 245:122-144.
  3. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/
  4. Hugh H. Kieffer (1992). Mars. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-1257-7. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
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