October 18, 2014
Big Plain
image by " rel="nofollow Luc CATHALA, Vaucluse FRANCE
Luc's grand image of Deslandres, or Hell Plain as it was once known, reminded me of my previous " rel="nofollow wonderment if the large feature was actually a small multi-ring basin. With a diameter of 227 km it is quite a bit smaller than the Grimaldi (440 km) and even the Schiller-Zucchius (335 km) basins. But under some lighting there are hints of a remnant inner ring. Most images don't add much evidence to the inner ring guess, however there is another way that ancient basins are sometime revealed - they are deep. Deslandres itself is relatively shallow, and its central area is actually higher than many parts of its edges. Topographically there is no evidence that it is a two-ringer. But when you consider Clavius (231 km) and Lacus Mortis (159 km), being just a large crater is pretty good company to be in.
" rel="nofollow Chuck Wood
Related Links
21st Century Atlas chart 16.
Luc's " rel="nofollow website