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Olympus Mons on Mars (main
background image) is a titanic shield volcano 370 miles across and 16 miles
high,
with a caldera measuring 50 miles across. Replicating an active volcanic zone
on a much smaller scale, the artwork
"Rift Zone" (upper
right inset) achieves
a resemblance to Olympus
Mons
and other volcanically active regions in many respects.
Flyby Animation of Olympus Mons
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Main
image: Olympus Mons volcano on Mars (photo
credit: NASA) Upper right inset:
"Rift Zone" (photo credit: Benjamin
Burress)
How
It Works: Air
bubbling up through fine sand creates a
small-scale geothermal landscape. By
pushing a button, visitors can change the
air pressure and alter the patterns of the
landscape. The air bubbles up in patterns
analogous to the three kinds of rift zones
that occur on various planets and moons:
solitary volcanoes, fracture zones, and
ring-shaped fissures.
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