Meanings
- astronomyA planum in the south polar region of Mars.
Located near the south polar cap, Promethei Planum contains many different surface textures.
2009 August 25, “Promethei Planum”, in NASA Science, National Aeronautics and Space Administration2 more examples
Promethei Planum, an area seasonally covered with a more than 3500 m thick layer of ice in the martian south polar region, was the subject of the High Resolution Stereo Camera’s focus on 22 September 2005 as Mars Express was in orbit above the Red Planet.
2008 March 12, “Icy Promethei Planum”, in European Space AgencyThe ridge populations fall into two age groups: ridge systems between 270° and 0° E date to the Early Hesperian, but to the east, the Promethei Planum and the Chasmata ridge systems date to the Late Noachian.
2015, Ailish M. Kress, James W. Head, “Late Noachian and early Hesperian ridge systems in the south circumpolar Dorsa Argentea Formation, Mars: Evidence for two stages of melting of an extensive late Noachian ice sheet”, in Planetary and Space Science, volumes 109–110, →DOI, pages 1–20
Origin
Named after the classical Martian albedo feature Promethei, ultimately from Promētheus (“Prometheus”), + planum (“elevated plain, plateau”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Promethei Planum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Promethei%20Planum
“Promethei Planum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Promethei%20Planum. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Promethei Planum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Promethei%20Planum.
Source: Promethei Planum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.