Main (Martian crater) explained

Main is an impact crater on Mars, located in the Mare Australe quadrangle at 76.6°S latitude and 310.9°W longitude. It measures 109.0 kilometers in diameter and was named after Rev. Robert Main. The name was approved in 1973, by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN).^[1] The floor of Main shows dark portions which are caused by pressurized carbon dioxide blowing dust in the atmosphere in the spring when the temperature goes up. Some of the dust is shaped into streaks if there is a wind.^[2]

Many ideas have been advanced to explain these features.^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} These features can be seen in some of the pictures below.

Close up views of these features often reveal fuzzy features that have been named "spiders."

See also

• Climate of Mars
• Geology of Mars
• Geyser (Mars)
• Impact crater
• Impact event
• List of craters on Mars
• Ore resources on Mars
• Planetary nomenclature
• Water on Mars

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature Main. usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. 4 March 2015.
2. Web site: Thawing 'Dry Ice' Drives Groovy Action on Mars. Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
3. H. H. . Kieffer . Mars Polar Science 2000 - Annual Punctuated CO₂ Slab-ice and Jets on Mars.. 2000. 6 September 2009 .
4. Hugh H. . Kieffer . Third Mars Polar Science Conference (2003)- Behavior of Solid CO . 2003 . 6 September 2009 .
5. Fourth Mars Polar Science Conference - Simulations of Geyser-Type Eruptions in Cryptic Region of Martian South. G. . Portyankina. 2006. 11 August 2009 .
6. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV (2004) - Stratigraphy of Special Layers – Transient Ones on Permeable Ones: Examples. Sz. Bérczi. etal. 2004. 12 August 2009.
7. News: NASA Findings Suggest Jets Bursting From Martian Ice Cap . 16 August 2006 . NASA . . 11 August 2009 .
8. 10.1016/j.icarus.2009.07.021 . HiRISE observations of gas sublimation-driven activity in Mars' southern polar regions: I. Erosion of the surface . Icarus . 2010 . C.J. Hansen . N. Thomas . G. Portyankina. A. McEwen . T. Becker. S. Byrne . K. Herkenhoff. H. Kieffer . M. Mellon . 205 . 1 . 283–295. 26 July 2010 . 2010Icar..205..283H .