Alba Patera is a unique volcanic feature to the north of the Tharsis region of Mars, an enormous shield volcano roughly 1600 kilometers in diameter but only ~3 kilometers tall at its highest point. It has thinner lava flows than other Martian shield volcanos, with both enormous sheet-like layers and hundreds of long, narrow channels on its flanks. Most of the narrow channels are over 100 kilometers long, with some over 300 kilometers, suggesting very fluid lava erupting over long periods of time. Alba Patera is located on a system of faults running northwards from Tharsis.

Alba differs from the other Martian paterae in several ways, lacking furrowed ash deposits and being located in lowlands rather than highlands.