Ausonia Mensa, as seen byMGS. This eroded mensa has many channels. | |
| Coordinates | 30°18′S262°18′W / 30.3°S 262.3°W /-30.3; -262.3 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 103 km (64 mi) |
Ausonia Mensa is amensa in theHellas quadrangle of Mars, located at 30.3° S and 262.3° W. It is 103 km (64 mi) across and was named after analbedo feature name.[1] The term "mensa" is used for a flat-topped prominence with cliff-like edges.[2] Ausonia Mensa has many small channels. Some features look likealluvial fans. These channels add to the mass of evidence that water once flowed on Mars.[3][4] Images of curved channels have been seen in images from Mars spacecraft dating back to the early 1970s with theMariner 9 orbiter.[5][6][7][8]