A rare formation of 1.2-mile wide mounds on the Athabasca Valles region on Mars has baffled the world scientists and they are trying hard to find out a clue about these odd structures.
The odd snakelike mounds were captured in the images caught by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Talking about these strange structures, NASA said, “The mounds appear like a circular island surrounded by a sea of smooth-looking lava flows.”
The Athabasca Valles region where the mounds are located is a smooth lava area on the martian surface.
According to the American space agency, there is huge possibility that volcanism played a significant role in their creation.
“It is likely that the lava has intruded underneath this mount and pushed it up from beneath. It appears as if material is missing from the mound. Hence, there is possibility that there was a good amount of ice in the mound that was driven out by the heat of the lava,” NASA said.
The experts also believe that the lava flows have likely forced itself underneath the mounds and pushed upwards.
“Perhaps lava has intruded underneath this mount and pushed it up from beneath. It looks as if material is missing from the mound, so it is also possible that there was a significant amount of ice in the mound that was driven out by the heat of the lava,” said the space agency.
Owing to its weird features and confusing characteristics, NASA plans to carry a close analysis of the captured images in order to find some clues.
This is not for the first time when any odd or weird structure has been found on the Red planet. Scientists believe that the Martian surface is filled with countless mysterious objects.