Lucus Planum

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Lucus Planum
Lucusplanummap.jpg
Topographic map showing the boundaries of Lucus Planum
Feature typePlateau
Location Mare Tyrrhenum quadrangle, Mars
Coordinates 4°59′S177°10′W / 4.983°S 177.167°W / -4.983; -177.167 [1]
Diameter~900 km [1]
EponymLatin lucus

Lucus Planum is a region on Mars, named after an albedo feature. Its name was approved by the IAU in 1997. [1] The center latitude of the feature is 4.99 degrees S and the center longitude is 182.83 degrees. [1] It lies just to the east and north east of the volcano Apollinaris Patera. Lucus Planum lies in both the Memnonia quadrangle and the Aeolis quadrangles. It is part of a region called the "Medusae Fossae Formation" [2] Part of this region is covered with yardangs. They are formed by the action of wind on sand sized particles; hence they often point in the direction that the winds were blowing when they were formed. [3] [4] Views of yardangs in this region are shown below.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Lucus Planum". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. (Center Latitude: -4.99°, Center Longitude: 182.83°)
  2. Orosei, R.; et al. (2016). "Radar sounding of Lucus Planum, Mars, by MARSIS". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 122 (7): 1405–1418. arXiv: 1705.09110 . doi: 10.1002/2016JE005232 . hdl: 10453/125184 . S2CID   119032027.
  3. "'Yardangs' on Mars".
  4. "HiRISE | on the Beauty of Yardangs (ESP_040504_1920)".