One of the probes on Mars recently captured a strange image on the planet's surface. The photograph included what appears to be a massive tree stump, complete with the concentric pattern of rings. The image was captured by the ExoMars Trace gas orbiter last year and was recently shared with the public.
Probe Spots Tree Stump with Rings on Mars
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is part of a broader space mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space department Roscosmos. The probe observes the red planet as it hovers up above the ground. By traveling from one spot to another, the TGO is able to collect data and imaging periodically from the Martian soil.
TGO is equipped with a specialized imaging system called the Color and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) to capture the formation of a specific Mars terrain down below.
Throughout the images collected by the TGO last year, one particular region caught the attention of the experts behind the project. On June 13, 2021, TGO grabbed an image from the northern plains of Acidalia Planitia on Mars. The photograph showed a strange structure that is seemingly familiar to many. According to Space, when viewed from the planet's atmosphere, the surface resembled a stump from a chopped-off tree.
The annual rings can also be recognized from the stump, adding further effects for the terrain to actually look like a trunk. But despite its detailed features, the tree-like arrangement of the surface is not from a real tree.
The 'tree-stump' is a Martian impact crater full of ice. This region of the planet, Acidalia Planitia, can also be recognized from one of the landing sites depicted in a Mars-based science fiction film and book titled 'The Martian.'
The rings inside the icy crater are not linked to its age, compared to the tree stumps we see here on Earth. However, these patterns serve as a clue for the experts to understand the various structures on similar Martian plains with low temperatures. It could also reveal some details of the previous events in the planet's early history.
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Impact Crater Full of Ice
The crater is full of water ice deposits, according to a report by ESA. These compositions were theorized to have been formed much earlier during the possibly lively past of Mars. The deposits inside the impact crater may have also settled in the same region due to the effects of the planet's tilt.
Like on Earth, the tilt on-axis contributes to the climate conditions and seasonal changes all over the globe. But compared to our situation, Mars encountered more dramatic changes due to its complex position. According to the report, the Martian tilt allowed the ice on lower altitudes to build up over the years, part of which was the massive sheet on Acidalia Planitia.
The rings and other cracks captured from the imaging are possibly due to the environmental changes of the planet and appear when various seasons hit the surface. TGO has been conducting studies on Mars since 2016. The mission is expected to continue sending stunning images and statistics from the red planet on its future ventures.
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