A chaotic terrain and the mouth of Ladon Valles
The image shows a chaotic terrain located in the deepest parts of the Holden basin. Here, Ladon Valles starts and travels east, out of the lower part of the image (see color-coded terrain image). The very beginning of Ladon Valles can be seen at the eastern (bottom) edge of the image. Water-bearing materials must have been present in the subsurface and melted in a later process forming the chaotic terrain. The left side of the images (south) shows the slope of the eastern plateau at Holden basin. Here, several smaller and relatively fresh-looking valleys showing width of up to 500 m can be spotted, flowing into the basin. However, a continuation towards the deeper parts of the basin is no longer visible. It is not clear what caused the formation of the chaotic terrain.
The complex history of the ULM system, paired with the overprint by impact, makes the region an interesting goal for future investigations. In addition, Ladon Valles and especially Holden crater both contain layered and phyllosilicate-bearing deposits, making them high-ranking targets for the search for ancient life on the red planet.