Tectonic stresses highly modified this area of Ganges Catena, north of Valles Marineris. The long, skinny ridges (called “wrinkle ridges”) are evidence of compressional stresses in Mars’ crust that created a crack (fault) where one side was pushed on top of the other side, also known as a thrust fault.

As shown by cross-cutting relationships, however, extensional stresses have more recently pulled the crust of Mars apart in this region. (HiRISE imaged this area in 2-by-2 binning mode, so a pixel represents a 50 x 50 square centimeter.)

Written by: Kirby Runyon (audio: Tre Gibbs)   (19 October 2016)

More info and image formats at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_046817_1775

Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona