# Arcadia Planitia > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arcadia_Planitia > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arcadia_Planitia.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_Planitia > Source revision: 1355995926 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Plain on Mars Arcadia Planitia Topographic map of Arcadia Planitia Feature type Plains Coordinates 47°12′N 184°18′E / 47.2°N 184.3°E / 47.2; 184.3 **Arcadia Planitia** is a smooth plain with fresh lava flows and Amazonian volcanic flows on [Mars](/source/Mars). It was named by [Giovanni Schiaparelli](/source/Giovanni_Schiaparelli) in 1882 after the [Arcadia](/source/Arcadia_(ancient_region)) region of ancient [Greece](/source/Greece). It dates from the [Amazonian period](/source/Amazonian_period)'s arcadia formation's [lava flows](/source/Lava_flow) and small [cinder cones](/source/Cinder_cone). It includes a more recently developed large region of [aeolian](/source/Aeolian_processes) materials derived from [periglacial](/source/Periglacial) processes. It is located northwest of the [Tharsis](/source/Tharsis) region in the northern lowlands, spanning roughly the region 33.9–64.2° North and 165.9–210.4° East, straddling partly in the [Cebrenia quadrangle](/source/Cebrenia_quadrangle) (MC-07), and partly in the [Diacria one](/source/Diacria_quadrangle) (MC-02), and centered at [47°12′N 184°18′E / 47.2°N 184.3°E / 47.2; 184.3](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Arcadia_Planitia¶ms=47.2_N_184.3_E_globe:Mars).[1] Arcadia marks a transition from the thinly cratered terrain to its north and the very old cratered terrain to the south. On its east it runs into the [Alba Mons](/source/Alba_Patera) volcanoes. Its elevation relative to the [geodetic datum](/source/Geodetic_datum) varies between 0 and -3 km.[2] Many low-lying areas of Arcadia are marked by grooves and sub-parallel ridges. These features indicate glaciation and appear similar to those on Earth, where the freezing and thawing of water located between ground layers contributes to the slow flow of near-surface materials. This supports the proposition that ground ice exists in the near-surface of Arcadia Planitia, and therefore this location is an area of interest for potential exploration missions.[3] ## Expanded craters Main article: [Expanded crater](/source/Expanded_crater) Large impacts often create swarms of small secondary craters from the debris that is blasted out as a consequence of the impact. Studies of a type of secondary craters, called expanded craters, have given us insights into places where abundant ice may be present in the ground.[4] Expanded craters have lost their rims, which may be because any rim that was once present has collapsed into the crater during expansion or lost its ice if composed of ice. Excess ice (ice in addition to what is in the pores of the ground) is widespread throughout the Martian mid-latitudes, especially in Arcadia Planitia. In this region are many expanded secondary craters that probably form from impacts that destabilize a subsurface layer of excess ice, which subsequently sublimates. With [sublimation](/source/Sublimation_(phase_transition)), the ice changes directly from a solid to gaseous form. In the impact, the excess ice is broken up, resulting in an increase in surface area. Ice will sublimate much more if there is more surface area. After the ice disappears into the atmosphere, dry soil material will collapse and cause the crater diameter to become larger.[5] Places on Mars that display expanded craters may indicate where future colonists can find water ice. - Close view of expanded craters, as seen by HiRISE. After the impact, ice left the ground and widened the crater's diameter. ## Gullies Wide view of group of gullies, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Note that part of this image is enlarged in the following image. Martian gullies are small, incised networks of narrow channels and their associated downslope [sediment](/source/Sediment) deposits, found on the planet of [Mars](/source/Mars). They are named for their resemblance to terrestrial [gullies](/source/Gully). First discovered on images from [Mars Global Surveyor](/source/Mars_Global_Surveyor), they occur on steep slopes, especially on the walls of craters. Usually, each gully has a [dendritic](/source/Dendritic_drainage#Drainage_patterns) *alcove* at its head, a [fan-shaped](/source/Alluvial_fan) *apron* at its base, and a single thread of incised *channel* linking the two, giving the whole gully an hourglass shape.[6] They are believed to be relatively young because they have few, if any craters. A subclass of gullies is also found cut into the faces of sand dunes which themselves considered to be quite young. On the basis of their form, aspects, positions, and location amongst and apparent interaction with features thought to be rich in water ice, many researchers believed that the processes carving the gullies involve liquid water. However, this remains a topic of active research. The pictures below show gullies in Arcadia Planitia. ## See also - [Climate of Mars](/source/Climate_of_Mars) - [Geography of Mars](/source/Geography_of_Mars) - [List of plains on Mars](/source/List_of_plains_on_Mars) - [Martian Gullies](/source/Martian_Gullies) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-USGS_Arcadia_Planitia_1-0)** ["Arcadia Planitia"](https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/348). *Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature*. [USGS Astrogeology Science Center](/source/USGS_Astrogeology_Science_Center). Retrieved 10 March 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** R. Greeley, ["Arcadia Planitia"](https://cmex.ihmc.us/MarsTools/Mars_Cat/Part_3/Sites/site082.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070311223022/http://cmex.ihmc.us/MarsTools/Mars_Cat/Part_3/Sites/site082.html) March 11, 2007, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) URL accessed July 31, 2006. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Hibbard, Shannon M.; Williams, Nathan R.; Golombek, Matthew P.; Osinski, Gordon R.; Godin, Etienne (1 May 2021). ["Evidence for widespread glaciation in Arcadia Planitia, Mars"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.icarus.2020.114298). *Icarus*. **359** 114298. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114298](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.icarus.2020.114298). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0019-1035](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0019-1035). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [234181075](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:234181075). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Expanded Secondary Craters as Evidence for Ancient Subsurface Ice"](https://www.uahirise.org/epo/nuggets/expanded-secondary.pdf) (PDF). *[HiRISE](/source/HiRISE)*. [University of Arizona](/source/University_of_Arizona). 12 December 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Viola, D., et al. 2014. EXPANDED CRATERS IN ARCADIA PLANITIA: EVIDENCE FOR >20 MYR OLD SUBSURFACE ICE. Eighth International Conference on Mars (2014). 1022pdf. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Malin,_M._2000_6-0)** Malin, M., Edgett, K. 2000. Evidence for recent groundwater seepage and surface runoff on Mars. Science 288, 2330–2335. ## External links - [Google Mars zoomable map centered on Arcadia Planitia](http://www.google.com/mars/#lat=60.&lon=-152&q=Arcadia%20Planitia) v t e Mars Outline of Mars Geography Atmosphere Circulation Climate Dust devil tracks Methane Regions Arabia Terra Cerberus (Mars) Cydonia Eridania Lake Iani Chaos Olympia Undae Planum Australe Planum Boreum Quadrangles Sinus Meridiani Tempe Terra Terra Cimmeria Terra Sabaea Tharsis Undae Ultimi Scopuli Vastitas Borealis Physical features "Canals" (list) Canyons Catenae Chaos terrain Craters Fossae Gullies Mensae Labyrinthi Mountains by height Observed rocks Outflow channels Plains Valley network Valleys Gravity Geology Brain terrain Carbonates Chaos terrain Color Composition Concentric crater fill Dark slope streak Dichotomy Fretted terrain Geysers Glaciers Groundwater Gullies Lakes Lava tubes Lobate debris apron Marsquake Meteorites on Earth on Mars Mud cracks North Polar Basin Ocean hypothesis Ore resources Polar caps polar wander Recurring slope lineae (RSL) Ring mold craters Rootless cones Seasonal flows Soil Spherules Surface "Swiss cheese" feature Terrain softening Tharsis bulge Volcanism Water Yardangs History Pre-Noachian Noachian Hesperian Amazonian Observation history Classical albedo features Astronomy Moons Phobos Stickney crater Limtoc crater Monolith Deimos Swift crater Voltaire crater Transits Solar eclipses on Mars Satellite transits Phobos Deimos Planetary transits Earth Mercury Asteroids Impacts Mars-crossers 2007 WD5 Trojans 5261 Eureka 1998 VF31 1999 UJ7 2007 NS2 Comets C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) General Orbit Exploration Concepts Flyby Orbiter Landing Rover Sample return Human mission Permanent settlement Colonization Terraforming Missions List of missions to Mars Advocacy The Mars Project The Case for Mars Inspiration Mars Foundation Mars Institute Mars Society Mars race Related Artificial objects on Mars Memorials on Mars Fiction List of films set on Mars Martian scientist Mythology Flag of Mars Life on Mars Sub-Earth Timekeeping on Mars Sol (day on Mars) Darian calendar Category Solar System portal [Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals): - [Solar System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Solar_System) Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arcadia Planitia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_Planitia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_Planitia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.