{{Short description|Chasma on Mars}} {{Infobox feature on celestial object |name = Candor Chasma |image = Candor Chasma THEMIS mosaic.jpg |caption = Candor Chasma in mosaic of [[Thermal Emission Imaging System|THEMIS]] infrared images, with parts of [[Ophir Chasma|Ophir]], [[Melas Chasma|Melas]] and [[Juventae Chasma|Juventae]] chasmata at top, lower left and extreme upper right, respectively. Massive landslide deposits, the Melas Labes, are visible near the junction of Candor and Melas chasmata at bottom, just left of center. |coordinates = {{coord|6.6|S|70.9|W|globe:mars_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |length = 773.238 }} '''Candor Chasma''' is one of the largest [[canyon]]s in the [[Valles Marineris]] canyon system on [[Mars]]. The feature is geographically divided into two halves: East and West Candor Chasmas, respectively. It is unclear how the canyon originally formed; one theory is that it was expanded and deepened by tectonic processes similar to a [[graben]], while another suggests that it was formed by subsurface water erosion similar to a [[karst]].<ref>[http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMVKC3AR2E_0.html ESA – Mars Express – Walls of Candor Chasma<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter|MRO]] discovered sulfates, hydrated sulfates, and iron oxides in Candor Chasma.<ref>Murchie, S. et al. 2009. A synthesis of Martian aqueous mineralogy after 1 Mars year of observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Journal of Geophysical Research: 114.</ref>
[[Image:Coprates map.JPG|thumb|left|Map of [[Coprates quadrangle]] showing details of [[Valles Marineris]], the largest canyon system in the [[Solar System]]. Some of the canyons may have once been filled with water. Candor Chasma is in the middle.]]
One of the pictures below shows branched channels. Many places on Mars show channels of different sizes. Many of these channels probably carried water, at least for a time. The climate of Mars may have been such in the past that water ran on its surface. It has been known for some time that Mars undergoes many large changes in its tilt or obliquity because its two small moons lack the gravity to stabilize it, as the Moon stabilizes Earth; at times the tilt of Mars has even been greater than 80 degrees<ref>Touma J. and J. Wisdom. 1993. The Chaotic Obliquity of Mars. Science 259, 1294-1297.</ref><ref>Laskar, J., A. Correia, M. Gastineau, F. Joutel, B. Levrard, and P. Robutel. 2004. "Long term evolution and chaotic diffusion of the insolation quantities of Mars". ''Icarus'' 170, 343-364.</ref> ==Gallery== <gallery class="center" widths="190px" heights="180px" > Image:Candor Chasma region of Valles Marineris, Mars.jpg|Tectonic fractures in Candor Chasma as seen by [[HiRISE]] Image:Candor Channels.jpg|Channels in Candor plateau, as seen by HiRISE. Location is [[Coprates quadrangle]]. Click on image to see many small, branched channels which are strong evidence for sustained precipitation.
File:Wide view of layers in candor ESP 074432 1735.jpg|Wide view of layers in Candor, as seen by HiRISE. This picture was named HiRISE picture of the day for November 9, 2023.
File:Layers in Candor, ESP 074432 1735-2.jpg|Close view of layers in Candor. Image has been processed in color to bring out more detail. It was named HiRISE picture of the day for November 9, 2023. </gallery>
==See also== * [[Chasma]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_001641_1735 HiRISE observation of tectonic fractures] *[https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/mars/candor-chasma-animation-hirise-dtm.html Virtual flyover of Candor Chasma] at an altitude of 100 meters by Adrian Lark and Mars3D.com; see [https://www.youtube.com/user/MARS3DdotCOM/videos album] for more *High resolution [https://www.flickr.com/photos/seandoran/32977965525/ flyover video] by Seán Doran of layered terrain in southwest Candor Chasma, and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/seandoran/43371068682/ more] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/seandoran/29578555518/ videos] of Ceti Mensa, based on NASA digital terrain models; see [https://www.flickr.com/photos/seandoran/albums/72157677941945560 album] for more *[https://vimeo.com/193967863 Flyover video] of Ceti Mensa and west Candor Chasma by Carter Emmart; see [https://vimeo.com/carteremmart album] for more *{{APOD |date=31 May 2001|title=In Chandor Chasmata on Mars}} *{{APOD |date=13 February 2003|title=Candor and Ophir Chasmata}} *{{APOD |date=18 February 2005|title=Melas, Candor and Ophir: Valleys of Mariner}}
{{Geography of Mars}} {{Portal bar|Solar System}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Valleys and canyons on Mars]] [[Category:Coprates quadrangle]]