Discoveries

A young Martian crater named Zunil may be the source for some meteorites that have come from Mars.

THEMIS images reveal the martian surface has more channels than scientists previously thought. The finding hints that erosion by water was more widespread, but may have been episodic.

On Mars, the diversity of volcanic rocks — and the complexity of volcanic processes — rivals that of Earth.

At Syrtis Major, THEMIS found volcanos and flows of dacite, a chemically evolved lava that implies a complex volcanic history for Mars.

In Syrtis Major, THEMIS mapped the largest known exposure of olivine-rich rocks on Mars. Because olivine decomposes easily when wet, its survival from ancient times suggests Mars has been cold and dry for much of its history.

Rocks that resemble granite, a crystalline rock common on Earth, have been found for the first time on Mars using THEMIS images.