Professor of Mathematics

Paata Ivanisvili

pivanisv@uci.edu · x.com/PI010101

Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine

Paata Ivanisvili

← Possible new impact sites on Mars

Candidate 8: Daedalia Planum, south-west of Arsia Mons

Strong · roughly 80%

Two CTX close-ups of the same 600 by 600 m of Daedalia Planum, from November 2020 and December 2024. A very dark lobed spot near the arrow is present only in 2024.
The same 600 × 600 m in November 2020 and December 2024, under a similar sun height. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.

What changed. A very dark, lobed spot 50 to 60 m across appeared on the lava plains of Daedalia Planum, west of Aganippe Fossa, between 2020 and 2024. It is absent in 2020 under nearly the same lighting, and it keeps the same shape in images 11 months apart.

Why it may be a new impact. Its size and darkness match the blast zones of new impacts found elsewhere on Mars.

Location
6.868° S, 229.425° E (130.575° W)
Absent
22 February 2008 and 30 November 2020
Present
8 December 2024 and 10 November 2025
Size
Very dark, lobed spot 50 to 60 m across
Confidence
Strong candidate; roughly 80% that it is a new impact.
Caveat
It lies outside every footprint of the high-resolution HiRISE camera. Like every candidate here, it is unconfirmed: see the caveat.
Five CTX images of the same 2 by 2 km patch of Daedalia Planum, from 2008 to 2025. A dark lobed spot at the arrow is absent in 2008 and 2020, and present in December 2024, faintly in a hazy September 2025 image, and in November 2025.
Five CTX images of the same 2 × 2 km patch, 2008 to 2025. The hazy September 2025 image is not counted. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
A 12 by 12 km CTX view from November 2025 of the lava plains of Daedalia Planum, with a dashed box around the 2 by 2 km patch and an arrow at the spot.
A 12 × 12 km view. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.

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