What surface features attest to the cooling and contraction of thick lava deposits in the maria?
Answer
Rilles and wrinkle ridges
The relatively flat plains of the maria are not perfectly uniform; they display specific structural features that provide evidence of the thermal processes that occurred after the lava solidified. *Rilles*, which are essentially collapsed lava tubes, and wrinkle ridges—long, low ridges found across the mare surface—are clear indicators that the thick basalt deposits underwent contraction as they cooled and solidified over millions of years. These features represent the resulting stresses and shrinking of the massive lava beds after they settled into place.
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