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Valles Marineris, or Mariner Valley, is a vast canyon system that
runs along the Martian equator just east of the Tharsis region. Valles
Marineris is 4000 km (2500 mi) long and reaches depths of up to 7 km (4
mi)! For comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is about 800 km (500
mi) long and 1.6 km (1 mi) deep. In fact, the extent of Valles Marineris
is as long as the United States and it spans about 20 percent (1/5) of
the entire distance around
Mars! The canyon extends from the Noctis
Labyrinthus region in the west to the chaotic terrain in the east. Most
researchers agree that Valles Marineris is a large tectonic "crack" in
the Martian crust, forming as the planet cooled, affected by the rising
crust in the Tharsis region to the west, and subsequently widened by
erosional forces. However, near the eastern flanks of the rift there
appear to be some channels that may have been formed by water. Also see:
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