Sklodowska (Martian crater)
Sklodowska is a Martian crater located in the Mare Acidalium quadrangle at 33.7°N and 2.9°W. It is 124 miles (200 km) in diameter and was discovered in 1973 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). It is named after Polish chemist Maria Sklodowska-Curie, better known as Marie Curie.[1] [2]
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MOLA map showing Sklowska Crater and other nearby craters. Color indicates elevation.
Pictures of Sklodowska show numerous branched channels along its rim. Some are visible in the pictures below.
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Sklodowska Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Small channels are visible along the eroded, southern rim.
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Channels in Sklodowska Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Note: this is an enlargement of the previous image.
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Channels in Sklodowska Crater, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.
Why are Craters important?
The density of impact craters is used to determine the surface ages of Mars and other solar system bodies.[3] The older the surface, the more craters present. Crater shapes can reveal the presence of ground ice.
The area around craters may be rich in minerals. On Mars, heat from the impact melts ice in the ground. Water from the melting ice dissolves minerals, and then deposits them in cracks or faults that were produced with the impact. This process, called hydrothermal alteration, is a major way in which ore deposits are produced. The area around Martian craters may be rich in useful ores for the future colonization of Mars.[4]
References
See also
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