During its flybys, the radar system on the European Space Agency's Express orbiter uncovered new details about some of the most enigmatic deposits on Mars: the Medusae Fossae Formation.
The Medusae Fossae Formation consists of enigmatic deposits found near the Martian equator along a divide between highlands and lowlands called the ‘highland-lowland dichotomy boundary’ between the Tharsis and Elysium centres of volcanic activity. This dichotomy boundary is a narrow region separating the cratered highlands, located mostly in the southern hemisphere of Mars, from the northern hemisphere's lowland plains. It is believed to be some of the youngest deposits on the surface of the planet due to a lack of impact craters dotting these deposits, unlike on older terrain. Studying this region could yield information about Mars' more recent geological history, including whether or not liquid water played any role in the creation of Medusae Fossae.
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