The Ladon Valles are a river valley system lying within the Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle (MC-19) region of the planet Mars located at 22.6° South and 28.7° West. They are 278 km long and were named after an ancient name for a Greek river.[1]

Ladon Valles
The Ladon Valles as seen by HiRISE.
Coordinates22°36′S 28°42′W / 22.6°S 28.7°W / -22.6; -28.7
Dimensions278 km long

It has been argued that Uzboi, Ladon, Margaritifer and Ares valles, although now separated by large craters, once comprised a single outflow channel system flowing north into Chryse Planitia.[2] The source of this outflow has been suggested as overflow from the Argyre crater, formerly filled to the brim as a lake by channels (Surius, Dzigai, and Palacopus valles) draining down from the south pole. If real, the full length of this drainage system would be over 8000 km, the longest known drainage path in the Solar System.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ladon Valles". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. ^ Parker, T.J., Clifford, S.m., and Banerdt, W.B. (2000). Argyre Planitia and the Mars global hydrologic cycle. LPSC XXXI, Abstract 2033.
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