Bras de l'Enfer (rivière à Mars)

The "Bras de l'Enfer" (Arm of Hell) is an unofficial, informal name sometimes applied to a channel feature on the planet Mars. Specifically, it refers to a portion of a branching outflow channel network located in the Memnonia Fossae region. The name, evocative of a dark, forbidding landscape, is likely derived from the channel's complex, meandering, and potentially chaotic appearance in orbital imagery.

While not an officially recognized or sanctioned geological term by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the name "Bras de l'Enfer" is used within some scientific and amateur astronomy circles when discussing or referencing this specific area of Martian terrain. The channels themselves are believed to have been carved by ancient cataclysmic floods, likely resulting from the release of subsurface water or ice due to volcanic activity or impacts. The term highlights the dramatic and powerful forces that shaped the Martian surface in the planet's distant past. The region containing the channels shows evidence of significant erosion and sediment transport, features consistent with large-scale aqueous flows. The name is primarily employed in casual discussions and less formal presentations, rather than peer-reviewed scientific publications.