Valles Marineris facts for kids

Valles Marineris is a giant system of canyons on the planet Mars. It's like a super-sized Grand Canyon, but much, much bigger! It stretches for about 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) across the Martian surface. That's almost as long as the entire United States! This huge canyon system is one of the most amazing features on Mars. Scientists are still studying how it formed.

What is Valles Marineris?

Valles Marineris means "Mariner Valleys." It was named after the Mariner 9 spacecraft. This spacecraft was the first to orbit Mars in 1971. It sent back pictures that showed this incredible canyon system.

The canyon is not just one long ditch. It's a complex network of valleys, chasms, and plateaus. It's so deep in some places that it could swallow Mount Everest! The walls of the canyon show many layers of rock. These layers tell us about Mars's long history.

How Valles Marineris Formed

Scientists believe Valles Marineris formed in a few different ways. The main idea is that it's a giant "tectonic rift." This means the crust of Mars pulled apart, creating huge cracks. This is similar to how the East African Rift Valley formed on Earth.

Volcanic activity also played a big role. Huge volcanoes like Tharsis Montes are nearby. Their weight might have stretched and cracked the crust. Later, landslides and erosion helped shape the canyons. Water might have flowed through parts of the canyon a long time ago. This would have carved out some of the features we see today.

Exploring the Canyon System

Many spacecraft have studied Valles Marineris. They include Viking 1, Mars Global Surveyor, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These missions have taken amazing pictures. They have also collected data about the rocks and minerals there.

Scientists look for signs of water in the canyon. They have found minerals that usually form in the presence of water. This suggests that water was once common on Mars. Finding water is important because it could mean that life once existed there.

Noctis Labyrinthus

At the western end of Valles Marineris is a very interesting area. It's called Noctis Labyrinthus. This name means "Labyrinth of the Night." It's a maze of deep, steep-sided valleys and plateaus. It looks like a giant puzzle from space.

Noctis Labyrinthus is thought to be an older part of the rift system. It has many layers of rock exposed in its walls. These layers are like pages in a history book. They show how the Martian surface changed over millions of years.

Why Valles Marineris is Important

Valles Marineris is a key place for understanding Mars. It helps scientists learn about:

• The geology of Mars: How the planet's crust moves and changes.
• The history of water on Mars: Where water might have been and what it did.
• The possibility of past life: If water was present, could life have existed?

Studying this massive canyon helps us piece together the story of the Red Planet. It's a truly incredible natural wonder in our solar system.

Images for kids

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  Valles Marineris in a mosaic of THEMIS infrared images from 2001 Mars Odyssey

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  Morning water ice fog spills out of Noctis Labyrinthus (Viking 1 orbiter image)

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  Ophir Chasma THEMIS mosaic

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  Valles Marineris with major features labeled.

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  Ius Chasma image mosaic from 2001 Mars Odyssey, showing side canyons created by sapping. On the northern (upper) rim, right of center, a side canyon turns 90 degrees where it encounters a graben.

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  Seasonal flows on Coprates Chasma in Valles Marineris.

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  Part of Noctis Labyrinthus taken with Mars Global Surveyor.

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  Layers in the wall of Noctis Labyrinthus taken with Mars Global Surveyor, under the MOC Public Targeting Program.

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  Section of layers near top of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.

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  Group of layers near the bottom of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.

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  Wide view of cliff with layers in Noctis Labyrinthus.

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  Close-up of part of previous image of layers in Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.

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  Close-up of complex, dark dunes in the previous image of the floor of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.

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  Close-up of some layers in wall of Noctis Labyrinthus, as seen by HiRISE under the HiWish program.

See also

In Spanish: Valles Marineris para niños