Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Topography of the shield volcano, Olympus Mons on Mars

Nature volume 309, pages 432–435 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

Olympus Mons, one of the largest known shield volcanoes in the Solar System, covers an area of >3.2 × 105 km2and has a diameter of >600 km, excluding its vast aureole deposits. The structure is five times larger than the largest shield volcano on the Earth. It is situated on the north-west flank of the Tharsis volcanic region, a broad topographic rise on the martian surface. The volcano has three physical subdivisions: the summit caldera, the terraced upper flanks, and the lower flanks, which terminate in a scarp 2–10 km high that nearly surrounds the structure. A large block of images of the Tharsis region, including Olympus Mons, was obtained by the Viking mission1. Here we present a topographic map of Olympus Mons, compiled using various combinations of stereo pairs of these images, together with stereoscopic perspective views generated by image processing techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Carr, M. H., Greeley, R., Blasius, K. R., Guest, J. E. & Murray, J. B. J. geophys. Res. 82, 3985–4015 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Wu, S. S. C., Garcia, P. A. Jordan, R. & Schafer, F. J. 3rd int. Colloq. Mars, LPI Contr. 441, 287–289 (1981).

  3. Wu, S. S. C. Elassal, A. A., Jordan, R. & Schafer, F. J. Planet. Space Sci. 30, 45–55 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Batson, R. M., Hall, D. G. & Edwards, K. NASA TM-80339, 415 (1979).

  5. Arthur, D. W. G. Photogram. Rec. 8, 617–630 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Blasius, K. R. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4411–4423 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Blasius, K. R., Roberts, W. J., Cutts, J. A., Duxbury, T. C. & Glackin, D. L. 10th A. Div. planet. Sci./Am. Ass. Adv. Sci. Meet., Pasadena, 4 (1978).

  8. Blasius, K. R. & Cutts, J. A. Icarus 45, 87–112 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Davies, M. E. Icarus 21, 230–235 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Davies, M. E. & Arthur, D. W. G. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4355–4394 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hord, C. W., Barth, C. A. & Stewart, A. I. Icarus 17, 443–456 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wu, S. S. C., Schafer, F. J., Nakata, G. M., Jordan, R. & Blasius, K. R. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4405–4410 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wu, S. S. C. Int. Rev. Ann. Geophys. Cent. Nat. Rech. Scient. AGEPA 7-37-(1)-1-259, 147–160 (1981).

  14. Topographic Map of Mars US Geological Survey, I-961, (1976).

  15. Wu, S. S. C. US geol. Surv. Interagency Rep. 63 (1975).

  16. Wu, S. S. C. Icarus 33, 417–442 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Carr, M. H. J. geophys. Res. 78, 4049–4062 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Plescia, J. B. & Saunders, R. S. NASA TM-80339, 241–243 (1979).

  19. Carr, M. H. Scient. Am. 234, 32–43 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Morris, E. C. 3rd Int. Colloq. Mars, LPI Cont. 441, 161–162 (1981).

  21. Lopes, R. M. C. & Guest, J. E. NASA TM-81776, 176–178 (1976).

  22. Wu, S. S. C., Garcia, P. A., Jordan, R. & Schafer, F. J. NASA TM-84211, 141–143 (1981).

  23. Pike, R. J. & Rozema, W. J. Ann. Ass. Am. Geogr. 65, 499–516 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Rowan, L. C., McCauley, J. F. & Holm, E. A. US geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 599-G, 32 (1971).

  25. Bealty, J. K. Sky Telescope 420–422 (1982).

  26. Hiller, K. H., Janle, P., Neukum, G. P. O., Guest, J. E. & Lopes, R. M. C. J. geophys. Res. 87, 9905–9915 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Geological Survey, 2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, USA

    S. S. C. Wu, P. A. Garcia, R. Jordan, F. J. Schafer & B. A. Skiff

Authors
  1. S. S. C. Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Garcia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Jordan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. F. J. Schafer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. B. A. Skiff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wu, S., Garcia, P., Jordan, R. et al. Topography of the shield volcano, Olympus Mons on Mars. Nature 309, 432–435 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309432a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309432a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing