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Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 10 2007, 04:40 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Dusty Volcanic Vent in Syria Planum

Observation ID PSP_001840_1660

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Previous images of this area by other space missions indicate that this is a shield volcano with very shallow slopes. What HiRISE reveals is that it is completely covered by a blanket of dust.

While volcanic featues remain obscure, the dust does exhibit some very strange patterns. As you zoom into the middle of the image, the ground appears covered with a fine network of light and dark polygons. But at full resolution, it can be seen that these polygons are actually the edges of small scallops.

The dust is apparently held together by some unknown means, giving it sufficient strength to be carved into this strange pattern.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_001840_1660 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 17-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at -13.9 degrees latitude, 255.8 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 252.8 km (158.0 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~76 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:40 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 60 degrees, thus the sun was about 30 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 152.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 12 2007, 05:29 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Fuzzy Faulted Plains

Observation ID PSP_001840_2000

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This HiRISE image samples the plains between the large shelf volcanoes in the Tharsis region of Mars.

The long scarps in the area have been formed by faults as the ground was pulled apart. The large circular depression on the edge of the image is a giant collapse pit that appears to be related to the opening up of crust.

If you look at this image carefully, much of the plains appears blurry, as if the picture was out of focus. But HiRISE remains in perfect focus and it is Mars that is actually this blurry. Soft wind-blown dust mutes all the features in the area to create this effect.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_001840_2000 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 17-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at 19.9 degrees latitude, 251.4 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 276.6 km (172.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 27.7 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~83 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:33 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 52 degrees, thus the sun was about 38 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 152.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 13 2007, 01:19 AM

Flying Over Opportunity's Work Site

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Images of "Victoria Crater" in Mars' Meridiani Planum region, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, provided detailed, three-dimensional information that was used to create this animation of a hypothetical flyover. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity reached the edge of this crater in September 2006 and began exploring its rim clockwise.

Victoria is about 800 meters (one-half mile) in diameter. This animated flyover approaches the crater from the south, and then moves counterclockwise around part of the rim. An enhanced glimpse of Opportunity appears at a location where the rover was seen by the orbiter.

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/U.S. Geological Survey

Source: NASA - Missions - MRO

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 13 2007, 01:22 AM

Flying Over Spirit's Work Site

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Images of the "Columbia Hills" region inside Mars' Gusev Crater, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, provided detailed, three-dimensional information that was used to create this animation of a hypothetical flyover. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has been exploring this range of hills since 2004.

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/U.S. Geological Survey

Source: NASA - Missions - MRO

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 13 2007, 05:04 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Sample Tharsis Tholus Caldera Wall

Observation ID PSP_002169_1940

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image captures one of the cleaner portions of the interior wall of the caldera at the top of Tharsis Tholus.

Tharsis Tholus is an intermediate sized shield volcano, much smaller than giants such as Olympus Mons, but still large by terrestrial standards. While relatively dust-free, this section of the caldera wall is still extensively covered by dust that is being sculpted into curious shapes by the wind and by gravity.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002169_1940 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 12-Jan-2007. The complete image is centered at 13.6 degrees latitude, 268.8 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 274.4 km (171.5 miles). At this distance the image scale is 54.9 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~165 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:33 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 53 degrees, thus the sun was about 37 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 165.5 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 13 2007, 05:09 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Dusty Lava Flows on Ascreaus Mons

Observation ID PSP_002209_1865

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Ascreaus Mons is one of the giant shield volcanoes in the Tharsis region of Mars. Based on earlier lower resolution images, this location seemed to be ideal for examining how different types of lava flows interacted.

The smoother ground on the northwest side of the image is probably a lava flow with a relatively smooth crust much like "pahoehoe" lava flows in Hawaii.

The rugged terrain in the southwestern part of the image is indicative of a highly disrupted crust, possibly like what Hawaiians call an "aa" flow. Instead of confirming these hypotheses, HiRISE shows that the lava flow details are obscured by dust. The dust is carved into a curious network of scallops that are too small to have been seen by previous cameras.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002209_1865 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 15-Jan-2007. The complete image is centered at 6.6 degrees latitude, 258.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 265.5 km (165.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 26.6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~80 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:38 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 54 degrees, thus the sun was about 36 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 167.2 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 13 2007, 05:16 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Ancient Lava Plain in Thaumasia Planum

Observation ID PSP_002432_1525

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Image PSP_002432_1525 samples part of an ancient lava plain in Thaumasia Planum. The stack of lava flows has been folded into ridges the size of a chain of hills, as can be seen in the center of the image.

The lava and the ridge has been degraded by erosion. The numerous craters and dunes attest to two of the erosional processes—meteorite impacts and the wind.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002432_1525 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 01-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at -27.4 degrees latitude, 294.8 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 252.7 km (157.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~76 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:47 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 62 degrees, thus the sun was about 28 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 176.7 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 14 2007, 01:37 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Southern Layered Mound and Floor in Gale Crater

Observation ID PSP_002464_1745

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This HiRISE image shows the interior of Gale Crater, a region being considered as a landing site for the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory.

Gale is distinguished from many other craters on Mars by a large interior layered mound that extends to the height of the crater rim. The top part of this image contains portions of the southeast part of the mound, with the bottom part showing details of the crater floor.

The mound material here is exposed as several distinct smaller hills. Close up, the hills show abundant rocks and debris aprons on their flanks, lacking distinct bedrock layers seen elsewhere on Mars. This suggests that the mound material is friable and easily eroded by the wind over time.

Other evidence of wind activity includes bright bedforms near the top of the image and dark bedforms and sand sheets at bottom. Between the hills and dark sand are a series of stacked stratigraphic units. Polygons are seen in some of the units, indicating contraction due to water loss, cooling, or some other process. Many of the polygons seem highly fractured.

Possible crossbeds are seen in some of the rock exposures near the bottom of the image. This and other images of Gale will be studied over the coming months and years in order to better understand the geology and further assess the potential as a future landing site.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002464_1745 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 04-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at -5.5 degrees latitude, 138.1 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 268.3 km (167.7 miles). At this distance the image scale is 26.8 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~81 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:42 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 56 degrees, thus the sun was about 34 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 178.1 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 14 2007, 02:12 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Eroding Crater Fill

Observation ID PSP_002478_1770

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image shows the edge of a mound of sediments in the center of a large impact crater near Amenthes Planum.

The mound probably once filled much more of the crater, but it is now eroding away. HiRISE shows a variety of layers. A broad view shows several small plateaus which have likely been preserved by a relatively resistant cap layer, while other levels are exposed elsewhere.

The subsection highlighted here (3000 x 3000, 9 MB) shows several types of layers exposed in a pit. These variations point to a relatively complex geologic history at this site. Some layers appear to be fracturing into boulders which roll downslope, while others appear relatively smooth. There are also variations in tone, from light to dark. This diversity may be due to different types of rock, as well as varying strength.

Images such as this one indicate that rocks formed on Mars in a variety of ways, and by careful analysis it may be possible to deduce some of the history that has produced the geology at this site.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002478_1770 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 05-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at -3.0 degrees latitude, 115.9 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 266.1 km (166.3 miles). At this distance the image scale is 26.6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~80 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:42 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 56 degrees, thus the sun was about 34 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 178.7 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 14 2007, 02:08 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Joint Observation of the Isidis Basin with the Rosetta Mission

Observation ID PSP_002703_1920

Release date 07 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image of the floor of the Isidis Basin was taken in coordination with the Mars flyby of the European Rosetta mission.

Comparing this image with those taken by the OSIRIS camera onboard Rosetta should help calibrate HiRISE. Since OSIRIS was only able to take low resolution images of Mars, this image was targetted at a broad, bland, expanse of uniform appearance.

However, it is just east of the landing ellipse for the failed European Beagle 2 lander and may help with the search for debris from that mission. This is an example of the international cooperation of HiRISE and the MRO missions.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002703_1920 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 23-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at 11.8 degrees latitude, 91.1 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 277.3 km (173.3 miles). At this distance the image scale is 27.7 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~83 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:40 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 57 degrees, thus the sun was about 33 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 188.7 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 16 2007, 04:46 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Dunes and Polygons in Olympia Undae

Observation ID PSP_001736_2605

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This HiRISE image shows dark dunes and light polygonal terrain in Olympia Undae, also known as the North Polar Erg.

Two sets of dunes are obvious. The major set trends ~north-south, indicating winds from the east or west. Between the crests of these dunes is a second set oriented mostly east-west.

Zooming in on the dunes, a rippled texture is apparent, probably due to redistribution of sand at the scale of meters and less. Near the crests of some dunes are channel-like features, with some branching downslope. The origin of these channels is unknown, but they may result from the flow and displacement of sand that was fluidized by sublimating carbon dioxide or water frost.

Bright patches of ground are found in some inter-dune areas, with many having a polygonal texture. Polygons on Earth form from contraction induced by stresses from dehydration, cooling, and other processes, so these features may have a similar origin. The CRISM instrument on MRO and OMEGA on Mars Express indicates that many dunes in Olympia Undae are rich in the mineral gypsum.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_001736_2605 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 09-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at 80.2 degrees latitude, 191.2 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 316.4 km (197.7 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~95 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 02:37 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 69 degrees, thus the sun was about 21 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 147.9 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 17 2007, 05:33 AM

South Polar Cryptic Terrain in Early Spring

Release date Mar 16, 2007
Latitude: 77.55 S
Longitude: 131.98 E

Click on image to enlarge.

This image of the south polar region of Mars was taken by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) at 1557 UTC (10:57 a.m. EST) on Feb. 10, 2007, near 77.55 degrees south latitude, 131.98 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 30 meters (98 feet) across. The region covered is just over 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) wide at its narrowest point, and is one of several in which CRISM is monitoring the evaporation (or "sublimation") of the seasonal frost cap.

The Martian south polar seasonal cap consists of carbon dioxide ice and frost, whose sublimation in the Martian spring creates a variety of features unlike anything in Earth's circumpolar regions. Part of the cap known as the "cryptic region" is so cold that it must be covered with carbon dioxide frost, but it is also unexpectedly low in brightness and exhibits a variety of unusual dark blotches. Many scientists believe that carbon dioxide gas trapped below the sublimating ice is released in bursts, which carry along dust that gradually darkens the ice. One idea is that geyser-like dust eruptions form the dark blotches, and that the blotches grow, coalesce, and eventually hide the frost under a thin layer of dust.

This image was taken shortly after sunrise with the Sun only about five degrees above the horizon. The left version shows brightness of the surface at 1.3 micrometers. The right version shows strength of an absorption band due to carbon dioxide frost at 1.435 micrometers; brighter areas have a stronger absorption and more carbon dioxide frost. However, even the darkest areas still have frost. The correlation between brightness and carbon dioxide frost abundance is striking, supporting the idea that the frost is being darkened by dust. Frost in the upper right corner shows the expected dark blotches, whereas the frost over the rest of the image is more uniformly dark, hinting that another darkening process may be at work.

The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad.
CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument will also watch the seasonal variations in Martian dust and ice aerosols, and water content in surface materials — leading to new understanding of the climate.

Credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL/Brown University

Source: CRISM

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 17 2007, 05:43 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Gullies and Arcuate Ridges

Observation ID PSP_001816_1410

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

PSP_001816_1410 shows gullies and arcuate ridges in a crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Arcuate ridges and gullies are found together at many places on Mars, which has led some researchers to suggest that their coexistence may be a result of a single process.

Conversely, there are many locations on Mars where gullies and arcuate ridges are found alone, causing the debate about the relationship, or lack thereof, between their origins to continue. The bright regions in this image are frost, probably water frost, that is deposited and removed seasonally.

The arcuate ridges are the wavy features on the crater floor. They appear to parallel the alcove heads (upslope end) of the gullies. Arcuate ridges resemble protalus ramparts that are found on Earth. Protalus ramparts form at the bottom of snow-covered slopes when rock debris becomes separated from the slope face and accumulates downslope.

There is a mantled unit that covers the majority of the mid-latitudes of Mars that is thought to be ice-rich. This mantled unit drapes over topography and likely contains large amounts of dust, creating a dusty "snowpack." It is unknown how arcuate ridges form on Mars, but they are thought to be a result of mass wasting of ice-rich materials, possibly sections of the mantled unit.

The gullies seen in this image exhibit a range of morphologies. The large gully in the center of the image is deeply incised with a wide alcove. The gullies on the west (left) rim of the crater have small alcoves and tiny channels. Many of the channels appear to start at one of the fine layers that can be seen along this wall (see subimage, ~ 800 meters across). It is possible that water came from underground along these layers to form the gullies. The gully on the far left of the image extends all the way to the top of the slope. It is likely that the water that fed this gully came from one of the layers and then the slope experienced headward (upslope) erosion and collapse to extend the alcove to the crater rim.

The alternating stripes on the left side of the image are camera artifacts, not Martian features.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_001816_1410 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 15-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at -38.7 degrees latitude, 194.0 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 253.5 km (158.4 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.4 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~76 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:44 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 73 degrees, thus the sun was about 17 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 151.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.[/size]

Source: HiROC

Barek Halfhand

Mar 17 2007, 06:37 PM

QUOTE(Waspie_Dwarf @ Mar 15 2007, 10:46 PM) [snapback]1584672[/snapback]

Too bad they can't drop the Phoenix Lander here........

QUOTE

wetter is better...B

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 19 2007, 04:05 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Scalloped Depressions with Layers in the Northern Plains

Observation ID PSP_002439_2265

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image, of the northern plains of Mars, is marked by depressions in a layer of material that covers the region. The depressions, several of which have coalesced together, have scalloped edges and layers in their walls.

Features such as these are most commonly found at approximately 55 degrees north and south latitude. Their presence has led to hypotheses of the removal of subsurface material, possibly ground ice, by sublimation (evaporation). This process is believed to be ongoing today.

In this image, steeper scarps with layers consistently face the north pole while more gentle slopes without layers face in the direction of the equator. This is most likely due to differences in solar heating.

Large boulders, some several meters in length, are scattered within the depressions and on the surrounding surface. Also on the surface surrounding the scalloped depressions is a polygonal pattern of fractures. This is commonly associated with "scalloped terrain," and indicates that the surface has undergone stress potentially caused by subsidence, desiccation, or thermal contraction.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002439_2265 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 02-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at 46.0 degrees latitude, 92.1 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 310.7 km (194.2 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 31.1 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 62.2 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:23 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 63 degrees, thus the sun was about 27 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 177.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.[/size]

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 20 2007, 03:10 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Light-Toned Material in Melas Chasma

Observation ID PSP_002630_1695

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This HiRISE image shows an outcrop of bright material in Melas Chasma, part of the giant Valles Marineris trough system.

These troughs contain many bright deposits, often layered. The origin of these materials is still not known, but is the subject of much study because answering this question will provide important information regarding the geologic history of Mars.

In this image, some layers can be seen, but much of the surface has a strange scalloped texture. The cause of this texture is unclear, but it is likely related to the mechanism of erosion of these deposits as well as their physical nature.

These materials are being eroded by winds, forming elongated ridges called yardangs. These winds may also be responsible for the small-scale scalloped texture. Also, landslides have produced some talus cones, composed of piles of loose debris; these are visible in places, mostly near the base of the mound, as wedge-shaped features containing many boulders.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002630_1695 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 17-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at -10.3 degrees latitude, 286.2 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 264.7 km (165.4 miles). At this distance the image scale is 26.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~79 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:41 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 56 degrees, thus the sun was about 34 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 185.5 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 21 2007, 03:39 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Monitoring South Polar Cap Swiss-Cheese Terrain Change

Observation ID PSP_002804_0930

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image is taken in one of the troughs that are typical within the stack of Martian south polar layered deposits.

Viewed at low resolution, sequences of layers of different albedos, or brightnesses, and/or textures can be seen. At full resolution, the different tones and textures can be seen to be due to different shapes and sizes of polygonal fractures, surface knobiness, and surface cover and concentration of frost, often within polygonal fractures.

Faint criss-crossing troughs and dimples can be discerned on even the smoothest surfaces. Perhaps the most notable features in the image are the distinct round to heart-shaped to blob-shaped depressions scattered throughout the smooth areas, dubbed "swiss-cheese terrain."

The smooth material is solid carbon dioxide ice representing the uppermost layer of the south polar residual cap. The retention of carbon dioxide ice throughout the year by the southern polar cap is one characteristic that distinguishes it significantly from Mars' north polar cap. The swiss-cheese depressions are areas in which sublimation of the carbon dioxide ice was initiated at a particular location and spread laterally from that point, creating rounded depressions typically several to 10 meters deep.

In HiRISE images, it is evident that this carbon dioxide-rich material is actually comprised of several individual horizontal layers. In this particular location, several images had been acquired over the previous decade by the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) at slightly lower resolutions. In a series of those MOC images, the swiss-cheese depressions were seen to enlarge radially, or grow over a time period of several years.

Part of the HiRISE imaging campaign includes continued monitoring of these features (at higher resolution) to understand their growth rates and patterns. In turn, we can better comprehend the role of carbon dioxide—the main component of the Mars atmosphere—in the current Mars climate regime.

Observation Geometry

Image PSP_002804_0930 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 02-Mar-2007. The complete image is centered at -87.0 degrees latitude, 281.8 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 247.8 km (154.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 49.6 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~149 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 07:42 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 86 degrees, thus the sun was about 4 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 193.3 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 22 2007, 05:33 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Aram Chaos Sediments

Observation ID PSP_002839_1825

Release date 14 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Aram Chaos appears to be a former impact crater. The terrain is disrupted, giving it a chaotic appearance (hence the name "chaos"). Scientists have postulated that a lake may have once existed inside the crater and sediments were laid down within the lake.

The mineral hematite (rich in iron) has been detected by orbiting spacecraft within Aram Chaos. Hematite has been identified in several other locations on Mars, including at the Mars Exploration Rover landing site in Meridiani Planum. The hematite at both Meridiani and Aram Chaos most likely formed by precipitation in water.

This HiRISE image shows the light-toned sediments inside Aram Chaos that could have formed in a former lake. Unfortunately, dark debris now obscures much of this sediment, making it difficult to view and interpret the rocks. The light-toned layered deposit in the south (bottom) of the image is higher standing and has a pitted surface.

Circular structures with dark centers are likely to be impact craters that have been partly filled with dark debris, including sand. More irregular depressions appear to result from erosion of layered beds within the sediments. Wind could erode materials that are slightly weaker more quickly and produce the irregular topography seen along the surface of the deposit.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_002839_1825 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 05-Mar-2007. The complete image is centered at 2.7 degrees latitude, 339.3 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 272.3 km (170.2 miles). At this distance the image scale is 27.2 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~82 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:41 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 56 degrees, thus the sun was about 34 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 194.9 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 26 2007, 09:27 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Light Outcrop on Crater Floor

Observation ID PSP_001860_1685

Release date 21 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This HiRISE image shows part of the floor of a large impact crater in the southern highlands, north of the giant Hellas impact basin. Most of the crater floor is dark, with abundant small ripples of wind-blown material. However, a pit in the floor of the crater has exposed light-toned, fractured rock.

The light-toned material appears fractured at several different scales. These fractures are called joints, and result from stresses on the rock after its formation.

Joints are similar to faults, but have undergone virtually no displacement. With careful analysis, joints can provide insight into the forces that have affected a unit of rock, and thus into its geologic history. The fractures appear dark; this may be due to trapping of dark, wind-blown sand in the crack, to precipitation of different minerals along the fracture, or both.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_001860_1685 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 19-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at -11.3 degrees latitude, 69.4 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 261.2 km (163.3 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 26.1 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 52.3 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:40 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 59 degrees, thus the sun was about 31 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 152.8 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 28 2007, 01:35 AM

HiRise Operations Center
Gullies on Gorgonum Chaos Mesas

Observation ID PSP_001948_1425

Release date 21 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

PSP_001948_1425 shows part of Gorgonum Chaos, a large cluster of chaotic terrain found in the southern hemisphere.

Many regions of chaotic terrain are found at the head of large outflow channels that were scoured by ancient floods. Gorgonum Chaos is one region that is not associated with an outflow channel.

Chaotic terrain can form when subsurface volatiles (such as water) are catastrophically released and the overlying surface collapses. It is not known whether isolated chaotic terrain—such as that shown in this image—formed in the same way that the chaotic terrain near the outflow channels did. Wind erosion might play a role in their formation.

Gorgonum Chaos is an especially interesting area because gullies thought to have been eroded by liquid water are located on its mesas (see subimage (3.4 MB, 1800 x 664); scene is approximately 4 km across). The gullies have a wide range of orientations and many appear to emanate from a distinct layer in the mesas (see subimage).

It is not known why gullies form on one slope rather than another, but insolation (amount of sunlight received), availability of water, and regional slope are possible contributing factors.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_001948_1425 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 26-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at -37.1 degrees latitude, 189.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 254.9 km (159.3 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~76 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:43 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 70 degrees, thus the sun was about 20 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 156.4 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 28 2007, 04:09 AM

Defrosting of Russell Crater Dunes

Release date Mar 27, 2007
Latitude: 54.88 S
Longitude: 12.92 E

Click on image to enlarge.

These two images (at right) were acquired by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) 39 days apart at 19:10 UTC (2:10 PM EST) on December 28, 2006 (upper right) and at 20:06 UTC (3:06 PM EST) on February 5, 2007 (lower right). These CRISM data were acquired in 544 colors covering the wavelength range from 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and show features as small as 20 meters (about 65 feet) across. Both images are false color composites of bands at 2.5, 1.5, and 1.25 micrometers, and are nearly centered at the same location, 54.875°S, 12.919°E (upper right) and 54.895°S, 12.943°E (lower right). Each image is approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) across at its narrowest. These are part of a series of images capturing the evolution of carbon dioxide frost on the surface of the dunes in Russell Crater.

Russell Crater is one of many craters in the southern highland region of Mars that contain large areas of sand dunes. The sand in these dunes has accumulated over a very long time period - perhaps millions of years - as wind blows over the highland terrain, picking up sand in some places and depositing in others. The topography of the craters forces the wind to blow up and over the crater rims, and the wind often isn’t strong enough to keep the tiny grains suspended. This makes the sand fall to the ground and gradually pile up, and over time the surface breezes shape the sand into ripples and dunes. A similar process is at work at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, USA.

The above left image shows a THEMIS daytime infrared mosaic of Russell Crater and the location of its (approximately) 30-kilometer wide dune field in the northeastern quadrant of the crater floor. Superposed on this view and shown enlarged at the upper right is CRISM image FRT000039DF. This CRISM image was acquired during the late Martian southern winter (solar longitude = 157.7°), and the bright blue in this false color composite indicates the presence of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice) on the dunes. Sunlight is coming from the northeast, and the sunlit faces of the dunes appear red because they show very little frost compared to the colder, more shadowed areas. Thirty-nine days later at the beginning of southern spring (solar longitude = 178.9°), CRISM image FRT000042AA (lower right) was acquired almost at the same location. Notably, the bright blue frost-rich areas are considerably smaller and subdued, with slim patches only observed on the shadowed sides of the dunes that are most protected from the warmth of the rising sun. As the southern season continues to march toward summer, all of the frost will soon be gone and won’t return until the next Martian winter.

The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad.
CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument will also watch the seasonal variations in Martian dust and ice aerosols, and water content in surface materials — leading to new understanding of the climate.

Credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL

Source: CRISM

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 28 2007, 01:43 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Sand Dune Field in Richardson Crater

Observation ID PSP_002542_1080

Release date 21 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Image PSP_002542_1080 is a view of the sand dune field in Richardson Crater covered with seasonal frost.

The subimage is a close-up view (1 MB) of defrosting patterns on the dunes. The frost is a combination of frozen carbon dioxide and some water ice that covers the dunes in the winter and spring. As the seasonal frost sublimes away, odd features such as spots, fans, and streaks form.

Small dark streaks on the dune slip face slopes may be where recent avalanches of sand, or perhaps wind, has moved the dark sand underlying the frost, or where frost has been removed to expose the sand. Alternatively, the dark streaks may be patches of coarse-grained ice that are clear enough so that the dark material below the ice is visible. The slip faces indicate that the general direction of sand transport is from the right to the left across the image.

It has been hypothesized that the dark spots and fans may be "geysers" or "cold gas jets" that form when sublimation processes trap gas at the bottom of the ice. The gas is released through cracks in the ice, entraining dust from below the ice and scattering it onto the surface to form the dark spots and fans.

The high resolution, stereo, and low light imaging capabilities of HiRISE has provided new insight into the processes that form these features. Repeated imaging in a variety of locations will provide a record of their development and evolution.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_002542_1080 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 10-Feb-2007. The complete image is centered at -72.0 degrees latitude, 179.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 251.8 km (157.4 miles). At this distance the image scale is 50.4 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~151 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 04:05 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 81 degrees, thus the sun was about 9 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 181.5 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 29 2007, 04:20 AM

HiRise Operations Center
South Polar Layered Deposits and Residual Cap

Observation ID PSP_002856_0875

Release date 21 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image shows a variety of surface textures within the south polar residual cap of Mars.

It was taken during the southern spring, when the surface was covered by seasonal carbon dioxide frost, so that surface relief is easily seen. Illumination is from the bottom left, highlighting long troughs at to the right and round pits and irregular mesas to the left of center.

These unique landforms are common in the south polar residual cap, which is known from previous Mars Global Surveyor images to be eroding rapidly in places. Right of center, polar layered deposits are exposed on a sun-facing scarp. These deposits are older than the residual ice cap, and the layers are thought to record climate variations on Mars similar to ice ages on Earth.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_002856_0875 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 06-Mar-2007. The complete image is centered at -87.2 degrees latitude, 340.3 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 244.7 km (152.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 24.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~73 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 10:14 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 86 degrees, thus the sun was about 4 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 195.7 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 29 2007, 04:03 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Proposed MSL Site in Becquerel Crater

Observation ID PSP_001480_2015

Release date 28 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

HiRISE image of proposed landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) in Becquerel Crater..

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_001480_2015 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 19-Nov-2006. The complete image is centered at 21.3 degrees latitude, 352.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 283.6 km (177.3 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 28.4 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 113.5 cm/pixel (with 4 x 4 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:27 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 49 degrees, thus the sun was about 41 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 137.9 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 30 2007, 12:37 AM

HiRise Operations Center
(Almost) Silent Rolling Stones in Kasei Valles

Observation ID PSP_001640_2125

Release date 28 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Scene PSP_001640_2125 shows the very steep side of a plateau, part of the northern limit of the Kasei Valles system, which is one of the largest outflow channel systems on Mars.

The difference in elevation here between the mostly flat channel's floor (bottom right) and the top of the plateau (top left) is over 1,300 m (0.8 miles), comparable in height to the Grand Canyon walls.

The Kasei Valles system is much wider than the Grand Canyon, though, getting to be in places 500 km (300 miles) wide. (The Grand Canyon's maximum width is 30 km, or 18 miles).

The image's subset (400 x 250 m or 440 x 270 yards; file size is 920 KB) shows numerous paths with the appearance of dotted lines, criss-crossing the steep side of the plateau. The carving agents can be found at the end of some of these paths: rocky blocks such as the ones in this subset, up to 2 m (2.2 yards) across (4 m or 4.4 yards across elsewhere in the image).

Some of these blocks traveled downhill several hundred meters (yards) as they rolled and bounced leaving behind a trail of indentations or poke marks in the surface's fine-grained, light-toned soils. The raised borders in some of these poke marks indicate they are relatively recent features, unaffected by wind erosion, or that this soil has cohesive properties, such as if it was cemented.

The sound of these blocks falling did not travel very far, though. According to computer simulations sound in Mars travels only 1.5% the distance it would travel on Earth. (No Martian sound has ever been recorded.) Hence, the same sound which would travel 1 km (0.6 miles) on Earth would travel only 15 m (16 yards) on Mars. This is due to the lower Martian atmospheric pressure, which is approximately 1% of that of Earth.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_001640_2125 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 02-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at 32.2 degrees latitude, 306.0 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 292.4 km (182.8 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 29.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 58.5 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:25 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 50 degrees, thus the sun was about 40 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 144.1 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Source: HiROC

Waspie_Dwarf

Mar 30 2007, 04:34 PM

HiRise Operations Center
Slipping and Sliding in Coprates Chasma

Observation ID PSP_001970_1655

Release date 28 March 2007

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Credit: Image NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This image shows a landslide in the Coprates Chasma region of Valles Marineris that occurred when a large unstable area of rock broke away from the cliffs along the top of the image.

This mass of falling rock broke into many small pieces as it slid downhill and came to rest at the base of the cliff, forming the lobate (curved) mound in the lower part of the image.

The smooth textured ripples that are in the central part of the image are sand dunes. Sand dunes form as wind-blown particles roll across the surface and accumulate. Since the air on Mars is very thin, sand dunes take much longer to form on Mars than they do on Earth. The presence of large sand dunes, along with many small impact craters, on top of this landslide indicates that movement of the slide occurred a very long time ago, perhaps hundreds of millions of years.

This landslide was probably caused by a strong earthquake. A nearby meteorite impact may have generated an earthquake that was sufficiently strong to cause this landslide. Alternatively, movement along nearby faults may have triggered the landslide.

The Valles Marineris region is cut by many faults and in fact contains many more landslides such as this one. Some scientists believe that these landslides represent a record of earthquake activity in this area. Understanding the history of earthquake activity in the region may help scientists to predict the likelihood that such earthquakes occur on Mars today.

Observation Geometry
Image PSP_001970_1655 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 27-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at -14.2 degrees latitude, 306.7 degrees East longitude