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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Geography 494-01 S/07 Dr. Christine M. Rodrigue
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Naming Conventions The International Astronomical Union (IAU) governs planetary nomenclature New features identified, tentatively named, and the IAU peer- reviews the name for all planets Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature Once approved, names go into the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature This is housed at the USGS Astrogeology Research Program: http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Naming Conventions Mars Features: Conventions for Naming Features Albedo Features: Names from classical mythology originally assigned by Schiaparelli and Antoniadi Large craters (craters > ~60 km): Dead scientists who contributed to the study of Mars; writers and others who added to the lore of Mars Small craters (craters < ~60 km): Villages and towns on Earth having populations < 100,000 Large valles: Name for "Mars" or "star" in various languages Small valles: Classical or modern names of rivers Other features: From a nearby named albedo feature on Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps Deimos: Authors who wrote about Martian satellites Phobos: Scientists involved with the study of the Martian satellites, and characters and places from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars: A Whole New Vocabulary! Why?!? Familiar geographical and geological terms are generally too misleading to use in an environment we can’t visit and understand in its own context Calling something a “valley” implies the kind of fluvial and glacial erosion responsible for valleys here Analogies may not apply, at least not yet To avoid that temptation to analogies, the IAU has created a formal vocabulary to use in extraterrestrial contexts We have to understand Mars (or any other extraterrestrial object) in its own terms and context Sorry!
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Vastitas (vastitates) : An extensive, vast plain
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Planum (plana) : A plateau or high plain Meridiani Planum seen from Opportunity’s Pancam
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Planitia (planitiæ) : A low-lying plain or lowland Elysium Planitia
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Terra (terræ) : An extensive land mass Arabia Terra
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Chaos: an area of broken or blocky terrain Aram Chaos
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Cavus (cavi): a hollow or irregular, steep sided depression, often in clusters Sysiphi Cavi (South Polar Layered Terrain)
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Chasma (chasmata): a deep, elongated, steep-sided depression Ganges Chasma (eastern end of Valles Marineris system)
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Vallis (valles): a valley or canyon Ma’adim Vallis (Viking image) (and Gusev Crater, where Spirit landed)
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Fossa (fossæ): a long, narrow depression Claritas Fossæ, in Solis Planum, taken by HRSC on Mars Express
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Labes: landslide Valles Marineris
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Labyrinthus (labyrinthi): complex of intersecting valleys or ridges Noctis Labyrinthus map (west of Valles Marineris, east of Pavonis Mons)
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Sulcus (sulci): parallel or sub-parallel furrows and ridges Amazonis Sulci, east of Elysium, Mars Express
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Dorsum (dorsa): a ridge Dorsum Gordii, Medusa Fossæ area west of Tharsis, THEMIS IR image to left
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Crater: a circular depression or impact feature Crater with ice in Vastitas Borealis, Mars Express Hellas, MOLA Phobos, Stickney Crater
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Catena (catenæ): a line or chain of craters Coprates Catenæ: impacts or pitting?
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Mensa (mensæ): mesa or flat-topped prominence with steep sides Ausonia Mensa in southwest Hesperia Planum
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Lingula (lingulæ): extension of plateau having rounded lobate boundaries Australe Lingulæ
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Rupes: scarp Cerberus Rupes, MOC
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Scopulus (scopuli): a lobate or irregular scarp Not sure where I got this one or where it is
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Colles: small hills or knobs Ariadnes Colles in Cimmeria, MOC, possibly eroded remnants of deposits on crater floor
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Tholus, tholi: small conical mountain or hill Uranius Tholus, Tharsis, Viking
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Mons (montes): large mountain (as in really large, on Mars) Olympus Mons
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Patera (pateræ): an irregular crater or volcano with scalloped edges Alba Patera Apollinaris Patera
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Tessera (tesseræ): tile-like or polygonal terrain South Polar Region, MOC
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C.M. Rodrigue, 2007 Geography, CSULB Mars: Nomenclature Mars Features Undæ: dunes Sand Hills of Nili Patera, Syrtis Major, MOC
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