In planetary geology, a scopulus /ˈskɒpjʊləs/ (pl. scopuli /ˈskɒpjʊlaɪ/, from Greek σκόπελος "peak"[1]) is a lobate or irregular escarpment.[2] In the early 1970s, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) adopted scopulus as one of a number of official descriptor terms for topographic features on Mars and other planets and satellites.[3] One justification for using neutral Latin or Greek descriptors was that it allowed features to be named and described before their geology or geomorphology could be determined.[4] Currently, the IAU recognizes 54 descriptor terms (see Planetary nomenclature). Thirteen features with the descriptor term scopulus are present on Mars.
Scopuli on Mars
edit| Name | Mars coordinates | Quadrangle | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abalos Scopuli | 80°43′12″N 283°26′24″E | Mare Boreum quadrangle | 109 km |
| Australe Scopuli | 83°28′48″S 247°03′36″E | Mare Australe quadrangle | 505 km |
| Boreales Scopuli | 88°52′48″N 269°50′24″E | Mare Boreum quadrangle | 1,13 km |
| Nilokeras Scopulus | 31°43′12″N 304°09′00″E | Mare Acidalium quadrangle | 901 km |
References
edit- ^ Liddell and Scott (1975). An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon; Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, p. 735.
- ^ Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/DescriptorTerms.
- ^ Greeley, R. (1994) Planetary Landscapes, 2nd ed.; Chapman & Hall: New York, pp. 35-36.
- ^ Russell, J.F.; Snyder, C.W.; Kieffer, H.H. (1992). Origin and Use of Martian Nomenclature in Mars, H.H. Kieffer et al., Eds.; University of Arizona Press: Tucson, AZ, p. 1310.
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