This image covers a small volcano found in the Tharsis province of Mars. Tharsis is best known as the home of many of Mars' giant shield volcanoes.

However, between the enormous edifices are vast sheet-like lava flows and many smaller volcanic features. This small volcano is the source of many lava flows extending away in all directions. The central pits probably contained lava lakes when the volcano was active. Much of the lava in the lakes would have drained out the prominent channel that extends northward.
Written by: Laszlo P. Keszthelyi

All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible: Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. The image data were processed using the U.S. Geological Survey’s ISIS3 software.