McLaughlin Crater[1][2]
McLaughlin Crater viewed from orbit - small 0.550 km (0.342 mi) portion of 90.92 km (56.50 mi) diameter crater floor is shown - (MRO, HiRISE) (January, 2013).
PlanetMars
RegionOxia Palus quadrangle
Coordinates21°54′N 337°38′E / 21.9°N 337.63°E / 21.9; 337.63[1]
QuadrangleOxia Palus
Diameter90.92 km (56.50 mi)[1]
Depth2.2 km (1.4 mi)[2]
EponymDean B. McLaughlin, American astronomer (1901-1965). (IAU, 1973).[1]

McLaughlin Crater is an old crater in the Oxia Palus quadrangle of Mars, located at 21°54′N 337°38′E / 21.9°N 337.63°E / 21.9; 337.63. It is 90.92 km (56.50 mi)[1] in diameter and 2.2 km (1.4 mi)[2] deep. The crater was named after Dean B. McLaughlin, an American astronomer (1901-1965).[1][3] The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found evidence that the water came from beneath the surface between 3.7 billion and 4 billion years ago and remained long enough to make carbonate-related clay minerals found in layers.[2][4] McLaughlin Crater, one of the deepest craters on Mars, contains Mg-Fe clays and carbonates that probably formed in a groundwater-fed alkaline lake. This type of lake could have had a massive biosphere of microscopic organisms.[5]

McLaughlin crater - close-up
(released 14 January 2016).

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f IAU Staff (17 November 2010). "McLaughlin - Crater, Mars, 3782". IAU. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Choi, Charles Q. (20 January 2013). "Giant Mars Crater Shows Evidence of Ancient Lake". Space.com. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Home". planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov.
  4. ^ "Martian Crater May Once Have Held Groundwater-Fed Lake". Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
  5. ^ Michalski, J., J. Cuadros, P. Niles, J. Parnell, A. Rogers, S. Wright. 2013. Groundwater activity on Mars and implications for a deep biosphere. Nature geoscience:6, 133–138.


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