Which of the following statements best characterizes the surface of the planet mars? the surface of mars is continuously resurfaced by ongoing volcanic activity; consequently, there are almost no visible impact craters. all the big volcanoes are in the northern hemisphere of mars, and most of the craters are in the southern hemisphere. eighty percent of the surface of mars is rolling plains, with a number of major volcanoes and only two continent-sized uplands. on mars there are several moving lithospheric plates rimmed by long mountain chains, deep subduction trenches, and several large rift valleys.