Melas Chasma (Mars)

This feature is named after an earlier feature.

Melas Chasma is a canyon on Mars, the widest segment of the Valles Marineris canyon system, located east of Ius Chasma at 9.8°S, 283.6°E in Coprates quadrangle. It cuts through layered deposits that are thought to be sediments from an old lake that resulted from runoff of the valley networks to the west. Other theories include windblown sediment deposits and volcanic ash. Support for abundant, past water in Melas Chasma is the discovery by MRO of hydrated sulfates. (wikipedia entry)

A chasma is a deep, elongated, steep-sided depression. On Mars they are named after the nearest named albedo feature on the Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps.