The NASA InSight mission to Mars successfully landed on November 26th, 2018 in Elysium Planitia. It aims to characterize the seismic activity and constrain the internal structure of Mars. We focus on the Cerberus Fossae region, a giant fracture network of ~1200 km long situated east of the InSight landing site, and where M~3 marsquakes were detected during the past two years. It is formed of five main fossae located on the southeast of the Elysium Mons volcanic rise. We perform a detailed mapping of the entire system based on high resolution satellite images and Digital Elevation Models. The refined cartography reveals a range of morphologies associated with dike activities at depth. Width and throw measurements of the fossae are linearly correlated, suggesting a possible tectonic control on the shapes of the fossae. Widths and throws decrease toward the east, indicating the long-term direction of propagation of the dike-induced graben system. They also give insights into the geometry at depth and how the possible faults and fractures are rooted in the crust. The exceptional preservation of the fossae allows us to detect up to four scales of segmentation, each formed by a similar number of 3-4 segments/subsegments. This generic distribution is comparable to continental faults and fractures on Earth. We anticipate higher stress and potential for marsquakes within intersegment zones and at graben tips.

Calculated lithospheric strength envelopes (s) are rheological models of the lithosphere that are useful in understanding the elastic () and seismogenic () thicknesses of the lithosphere. Determinations of Te for Mars using different techniques use different models of Te as indicated by rheology in LSEs, and LSEs indicate that the differential stress fields that cause deformation must be considered in the determination of both Te and Ts. We do not attempt to review the literature here or to rank different methods. Our goal is to provide a better understanding of the different values of Te and Ts published in the literature and to encourage integration of these data with a physical understanding of the lithosphere in time and space.