Natural geological processes formed the Cydonia mesas on Mars
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Retrieved scientific literature and official records confirm that the features in the Cydonia region, including mesas, are natural geological formations shaped by standard planetary processes.
People like human faces. We humans have developed great skill in recognizing people and interpreting facial expressions. We also have a tendency to see faces in many natural formations, from clouds to the man in the Moon. One of the curiosities that emerged from the Viking orbiters’ global mapping of Mars was the discovery of a strangely shaped mesa in the Cydonia region that resembled a human face. Despite later rumors of a cover-up, the “Face on Mars” was, in fact, recognized by Viking scientists and included in one of the early mission press releases. At the low resolution and oblique lighting under which the Viking image was obtained, the mile-wide mesa had something of a Sphinx-like appearance. Unfortunately, a small band of individuals decided that this formation was an artificial, carved sculpture of a human face placed on Mars by an ancient civilization that thrived there hundreds of thousands of years ago. A band of “true believers” grew around the face and tried to deduce the nature of the “sculptors” who made it.
Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
NTRS NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server Search more_vert Collections About News Help Login Press Enter or click the Search button to begin your search. Back to Results Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program Geological mapping and topical studies, primarily in the southern Acidalia Planitia/Cydonia Mensae region of Mars is presented. The overall objective was to understand geologic processes and crustal history in the northern lowland in order to assess the probability that an ocean once existed in this region. The major deliverable is a block of 6 1:500,000 scale geologic maps that will be published in 2004 as a single map at 1:1,000,000 scale along with extensive descriptive and interpretive text. A major issue addressed by the mapping was the relative ages of the extensive plains of Acidalia Planitia and the knobs and mesas of Cydonia Mensae. The mapping results clearly favor a younger age for the plains. Topical studies included a preliminary analysis of the very abundant small domes and cones to assess the possibility that their origins could be determined by detailed mapping and remote-sensing analysis. We also tested the validity of putative shorelines by using GIs to co-register full-resolution MOLA altimetry data and Viking images with these shorelines plotted on them. Of the 3 proposed shorelines in this area, one is probably valid, one is definitely not valid, and the third is apparently 2 shorelines closely spaced in elevation. Publications supported entirely or in part by this grant are included. Document ID 20040084414 Acquisition Source Goddard Space Flight Center Document Type Other Authors McGill, George E. (Massachusetts Univ. Amherst, MA, United States) Date Acquired September 7, 2013 Publication Date January 1, 2004 Subject Category Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration Funding Number(s) CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-8909 Distribution Limits Public Copyright Work of t
Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data - Farrand - 2005 - Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets - Wiley Online Library
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Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data USGS Publications Warehouse
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### Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data
Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets
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https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JE002297
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#### Abstract
Domes and cones with summit pits located in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae were studied using MOC and THEMIS images and a TES‐derived thermal inertia map. North of 40.5°N latitude, the features have a dome‐like morpholog
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