Disrupted Sediments in Acidalia Planitia

This color HiRISE view shows a pitted, blocky surface, but also more unusually, it has contorted, irregular features.

Although there are impact craters in this area, some of the features are too irregular to be relic impact craters or river channels. One possibility is that sedimentary layers have been warped from below to create these patterns. The freezing and thawing of subsurface ice is a mechanism that could have caused this.

Acidalia Planitia is part of the northern plains of Mars, at a latitude of 44 degrees north.

(Narration: Tre Gibbs. Black and white images are 5 km across; enhanced color images are 1 km.)

NASA/JPL/UArizona

[weyeswonder]

Mars is indeed a Lady.
Although MRO is a gentleman with respectful and admiral intentions.... she isn't going to just reveal all her secrets to the first high resolution orbital camera that comes sauntering-up and wants a peek at her.