Indian Names on Martian Features
Seven Indian names have been newly designated for geological features on Mars by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). These additions include significant sites from Kerala as well as a tribute to a renowned Indian geologist.
Key Locations from Kerala
- Periyar River: Now a Martian valley, Periyar is Kerala’s longest river, spanning 300 km from the Shivagiri hills to the Arabian Sea.
- Bekal Fort: A crater named Bekal, measuring 4.9 km in diameter, honors the 17th-century fort located in northern Kerala.
- Varkala Beach: Known for its jarosite remains, Varkala's name graces a 9-km wide Martian crater in the eastern region of the Krishnan crater.
- Thumba: A crater named after Thumba, the birthplace of ISRO, is located southeast of the Krishnan crater.
- Valiamala: The name for a 13.5 km diameter crater west of the Krishnan crater, home to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).
Tributes to M S Krishnan
- A crater, 77 km in diameter, named after M S Krishnan, the first Indian director of the Geological Survey of India, believed to be over 3 billion years old.
- Krishnan Plaus: A plain surface, approximately 50 km in diameter, lies southeast of the Krishnan crater.
IAU Naming Process
The IAU’s naming process involves a ‘Call for Proposal’ where names are submitted with their origin, description, and scientific explanation. The final selection occurs after committee-level discussions.
In this instance, Indian scientists from IIST submitted the proposal, resulting in the latest Martian craters' naming.
Additional Notes
- Over 2,000 Martian features have been named, with about 50 Indian references.
- Large craters (50 km or more) are named after scientists, while smaller ones honor small towns or villages globally, with populations around 100,000 or less.
- Martian features include names like Ganga, although these were not proposed by India.
