Stokes (Martian crater) explained

Titlecolor:
  1. FA8072
Stokes
Coordinate Title:Coordinates
Globe:Mars
Coordinates:55.9°N -188.8°W
Eponym:Sir George Stokes, 1st Baronet

Stokes is an impact crater on Mars, located on the Martian Northern plains at 55.9°N latitude and 188.8°W longitude. It measures approximately in diameter and was named after Irish-born physicist George Gabriel Stokes (1819–1903). The crater's name was officially adopted by IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature in 1973.[1]

It is distinctive for its dark-toned sand dunes, which have been formed by the planet's strong winds. Research released in July 2010 showed that is one of at least nine craters in the northern lowlands that contains hydrated minerals. They are clay minerals, also called phyllosilicates.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stokes on Mars . Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature . International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) . US Geological Survey . 2 February 2021.
  2. Web site: PIA13214: Hydrated Minerals Exposed at Stokes, Northern Mars . . 24 June 2010 . 2 February 2021.