Fossa
Contents
Fossa
(glossary entry; plural = Fossae)
Description
One of 18 different categories of lunar features recognized in the current system of [/IAU%20nomenclature IAU nomenclature]. The IAU defines a fossa as a "long, narrow depression". The term is used as prefix to the feature name.
Additional Information
This term was used, pending IAU approval, on a number of the [/LTO LTO] charts prepared for NASA by the [/DMA Defense Mapping Agency] in the early 1970's as explained in [/Ashbrook%2C%201974 Ashbrook, 1974]. Although the term is commonly used by the IAU on other planets, it was (according to [/Whitaker Whitaker]) disallowed for use on the Moon in [/IAU%20Transactions%20XVIB 1976]. There are currently no features on the Moon designated as fossa by the IAU. Of the many "fossae" that were proposed, only two were tentatively approved, and they are both now known by different names: Fossa Casals is now known as [/Rupes%20Cauchy Rupes Cauchy] and Fossa Cauchy is now known as [/Rima%20Cauchy Rima Cauchy].
- JimMosher JimMosher
List of Fossa
[/Fossa%20Tetrazzini Fossa Tetrazzini]
LPOD Articles
Bibliography
This page has been edited 1 times. The last modification was made by - tychocrater tychocrater on Jun 13, 2009 3:24 pm
