Claritas Fossae (3 - ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin - G. Neukum)

Caption ESA originale:"The displayed region is the eastern part of Claritas Fossae and the western part of Solis Planum at longitude 260° East and latitude of about 28° South.
The diffuse blue-white streaks in the northern parts of the scene (Sx di chi guarda) are clouds or aerosols. The Claritas Fossae (‘fossa’ is Latin for trough----->canale) region is characterised by systems of ‘grabens’ running mainly north-west to south-east. These can be traced several hundred kilometres up to the northern Tharsis shield volcanoes.
A "graben" forms when a block of the planet’s crust drops down between 2 faults, due to extension, or pulling, of the crust. A ‘horst and graben’ system can occur where there are several parallel faults.
Geographically, the grabens separate the eastern volcanic plains of the Solis Planum region from the western Daedalia Planum lava plains.