Areography

Areography is the study and mapping of Mars’s surface features and geography, including its landforms, regions, and place names.

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Mars: Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, with a rocky surface, thin atmosphere, and polar ice caps. Areography concerns the geography of this planet.
Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: A laser instrument aboard Mars Global Surveyor that measured the elevation of the Martian surface. Its measurements produced global topographic data for mapping Mars.
Tharsis: A vast volcanic plateau near Mars’s equator, containing several enormous shield volcanoes. Its scale and volcanoes make it a defining mapped region.
Giovanni Schiaparelli: An Italian astronomer who mapped Mars in the nineteenth century and introduced many enduring feature names. His maps shaped early descriptions and naming of Martian geography.
Mars geology: The study of Mars’s rocks, landforms, surface processes, and geological history. Geological interpretation determines what mapped terrains reveal about the planet.
Martian coordinate system: A system of latitude and longitude used to locate places on Mars. Coordinates provide the framework for positioning Martian surface features.
Mars Global Surveyor: A NASA spacecraft that orbited Mars from 1997 to 2006 and mapped its surface and atmosphere. Its instruments supplied extensive imagery and elevation data for areography.
Valles Marineris: A system of canyons stretching thousands of kilometers along the Martian equator. Its extensive relief is a prominent subject of surface mapping.
Percival Lowell: An American astronomer whose observations and maps of Mars popularized the idea of Martian canals. His disputed canal maps illustrate how observation influenced early areography.
Mars climate history: The study of how Mars’s atmosphere and climate have changed through time. Landforms mapped across Mars preserve evidence relevant to past climate.