NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Volcanic Plains

Many regions of Mercury's surface are comprised of relatively red and smooth terrain that appears to flood low-lying regions and partially fill or bury older craters. These smooth plains are thought to have been formed by volcanic activity that drowned the region in voluminous, low-viscosity lavas.

Date acquired: July 21, 2012

Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington