Aram Chaos in false colour

Aram Chaos is a 280-km-wide almost-circular structure. As the name 'chaos' suggests, this terrain comprises large-scale remnant massifs, large relief masses that have been moved and weathered as a block. These are heavily eroded and dominate the circular morphology, or structure, which may have formed during an impact. The western region of the colour image (at top, since north is to the right) is characterized by brighter material, which seems to be layered and could be the result of sedimentary deposition. Distinct layering, causing a terrace-like appearance, is also visible east of this brighter material and in the relatively flat region located in the northwest of the colour image.

This false colour image was captured on 14 October 2004 by the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard the ESA spacecraft Mars Express with a ground resolution of approximately 14 metres per pixel.