List of areas of chaos terrain on Mars

Summary

This is a list of areas of chaos terrain officially named by the International Astronomical Union on the planet Mars. Chaos terrain (or chaotic terrain) is an astrogeological term used to denote planetary surface areas where features such as ridges, cracks, and plains appear jumbled and enmeshed with one another. Coordinates are in planetocentric latitude with east longitude.

In this mosaic taken by the Mars Global Surveyor, Aram Chaos lies in the upper left and Iani Chaos in the lower right.

Areas of chaos terrain are usually named after a nearby albedo feature as in line with the IAU's rules on planetary nomenclature. Such an albedo feature must feature on the maps of Mars made by either Giovanni Schiaparelli or Eugène Michel Antoniadi and are listed at Classical albedo features on Mars.


Chaos Coordinates Diameter (km) Approval date Named after Ref
Aeolis Chaos 7°08′S 150°36′W / 7.13°S 150.6°W / -7.13; -150.6 (Aeolis) 201 2018 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Aram Chaos 2°31′N 337°37′E / 2.52°N 337.61°E / 2.52; 337.61 (Aram) 283.81 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Aromatum Chaos 1°02′S 317°02′E / 1.03°S 317.03°E / -1.03; 317.03 (Aromatum) 72.8 1979 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Arsinoes Chaos 7°40′S 332°05′E / 7.66°S 332.08°E / -7.66; 332.08 (Arsinoes) 200.08 1982 Daughter of Ptolemy Lagun and Bernice WGPSN
Atlantis Chaos 34°17′S 182°41′E / 34.28°S 182.69°E / -34.28; 182.69 (Atlantis) 181.37 1985 From albedo feature at 30N, 173W WGPSN
Aureum Chaos 3°53′S 333°02′E / 3.89°S 333.04°E / -3.89; 333.04 (Aureum) 351.03 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Aurorae Chaos 8°28′S 325°11′E / 8.47°S 325.19°E / -8.47; 325.19 (Aurorae) 713.92 1991 Classical albedo name WGPSN
Baetis Chaos 0°10′S 299°36′E / 0.17°S 299.6°E / -0.17; 299.6 (Baetis) 66.66 2006 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Candor Chaos 6°56′S 287°25′E / 6.94°S 287.42°E / -6.94; 287.42 (Candor) 0 1985 From albedo feature at 5N, 75W WGPSN
Caralis Chaos 37°12′S 178°36′E / 37.2°S 178.6°E / -37.2; 178.6 (Caralis) 103.35 2014 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Chryse Chaos 9°52′N 322°49′E / 9.86°N 322.81°E / 9.86; 322.81 (Chryse) 658.89 2008 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Echus Chaos 10°47′N 285°17′E / 10.79°N 285.28°E / 10.79; 285.28 (Echus) 480.51 1985 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Eos Chaos 16°49′S 313°29′E / 16.82°S 313.48°E / -16.82; 313.48 (Eos) 497.85 1982 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Erythraeum Chaos 21°50′S 347°37′W / 21.84°S 347.62°W / -21.84; -347.62 (Erythraeum) 147.63 2007 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Galaxias Chaos 33°50′S 347°37′E / 33.83°S 347.62°E / -33.83; 347.62 (Galaxias) 234.48 1985 Albedo feature name WGPSN
Ganges Chaos 9°46′S 313°58′W / 9.76°S 313.96°W / -9.76; -313.96 (Ganges) 113.73 2006 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Gorgonum Chaos 37°16′S 189°06′E / 37.26°S 189.1°E / -37.26; 189.1 (Gorgonum) 150.71 1985 From albedo feature at 24S, 154W WGPSN
Hellas Chaos 47°07′S 64°25′W / 47.12°S 64.41°W / -47.12; -64.41 (Hellas) 590.62 1994 Named for albedo feature Hellas WGPSN
Hydaspis Chaos 3°05′N 333°04′E / 3.09°N 333.07°E / 3.09; 333.07 (Hydaspis) 336.04 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Hydrae Chaos 5°54′S 300°02′E / 5.9°S 300.03°E / -5.9; 300.03 (Hydrae) 66 2014 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Hydraotes Chaos 1°07′N 324°43′E / 1.12°N 324.71°E / 1.12; 324.71 (Hydraotes) 419.04 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Iamuna Chaos 0°17′S 319°23′E / 0.28°S 319.39°E / -0.28; 319.39 (Iamuna) 21.72 2006 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Iani Chaos 2°11′S 342°58′E / 2.19°S 342.96°E / -2.19; 342.96 (Iani) 450.51 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Ister Chaos 12°57′N 303°26′E / 12.95°N 303.44°E / 12.95; 303.44 (Ister) 109.1 1985 From classical albedo feature at 10N, 56W WGPSN
Margaritifer Chaos 9°18′S 338°18′E / 9.3°S 338.3°E / -9.3; 338.3 (Margaritifer) 383.67 1976 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Nia Chaos 6°44′S 292°37′E / 6.74°S 292.62°E / -6.74; 292.62 (Nia) 48 2017 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Nilus Chaos 25°23′N 283°03′E / 25.39°N 283.05°E / 25.39; 283.05 (Nilus) 283 1985 Named for albedo feature at 20N, 65W WGPSN
Oxia Chaos 0°13′N 320°08′E / 0.22°N 320.13°E / 0.22; 320.13 (Oxia) 24.12 2006 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN
Pyrrhae Chaos 10°28′S 331°36′W / 10.46°S 331.6°W / -10.46; -331.6 (Pyrrhae) 162.35 1982 Albedo feature name WGPSN
Xanthe Chaos 11°52′N 317°47′E / 11.87°N 317.78°E / 11.87; 317.78 (Xanthe) 34.37 2006 Classical albedo feature name WGPSN

References edit

This list was adapted from the public domain Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, courtesy of the United States Geological Survey.