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Located on the southern edge of a mensa east of Apollinaris Patera, the poorly cemented material of this hill is being eroded by wind action.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

The Wind & Sand Storms that these photo's suggest makes me wonder what type of portable habitats will be needed when a manned Mar's mission finally happens. My mind boggles at the thought of toughing out a Martian force of nature of this magnitude. Any currently used Earthly construct would be hard pressed to protect humans from these conditions. Plus the logistics of transporting to Mars. A lot of work to be done yet. IMO.
Roger L.

Not true.

Although the wind on Mars is faster than on Earth you have to remember that the Martian atmospheric pressure at ground level is only about 10% that of Earth's, so it carries far less force than the winds on Earth. The sand storms will be a huge inconvenience but not an insurmountable problem. Nomadic people on Earth have, for countless centuries, protected themselves from the Saharan dust storms using nothing more than tents made from animal hides.

A bigger problem for humans on Mars will be the very weak magnetic field and thin atmosphere which means the astronauts will require protection from exposure to radiation.

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Jovis Tholus is a small volcano in the Tharsis region of Mars. The western part of the volcano has collapsed.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The channels and streamlined islands in this VIS image are part of Marte Valles, an extensive set of lava channels.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The channels in this image are part of the complex Granicus Valles system. Granicus Valles was likely carved by lava flows that originated in the Elysium Volcanic region to the southeast of this image.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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These channels and streamlined islands are part of Hebrus Valles.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image shows a portion of Hebrus Valles. See also yesterday's image for more of Hebrus Valles.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This chain of collapse pits occurs within one of the many tectonic graben of the Tharsis region.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Tartarus Montes is a group of low hills located between Orcus Patera and the Elysium volcanic region. Many fractures, like the one seen in this VIS image, cut the Tartarus Montes running radial to the Elysium volcanic center.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The small channel in this VIS image is incised into the floor of the much larger Kasei Valles. Kasei Valles is one of the largest channel systems on Mars.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This complex region of channels is part of Kasei Valles, one of the large outflow channels on Mars.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Located south of Alba patera, this volcanic vent is the source of the lava flows surrounding it. The fractures and graben related to Alba patera may have provided the way for lava to easily reach the surface in this area.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Dark slope streaks are located on this small mesa in southern Amazonis Planitia.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Wind erosion is an active process on Mars today. The Medusa Fossae region has undergone extreme amounts of wind erosion, revealing an older surface below the easily eroded surface material.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Cerberus Fossae is comprised of several long fractures radial to the Elysium Volcanic complex. This fracture appears to have been a vent for some of the local lava flows.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Although the Tharsis region of Mars is best known for its towering volcanoes and extensive lava flows the volcanic activity responsible ended long ago. Since then wind has been the active process, slowly eroding the surface and depositing fine materials. This image shows a small region of wind erosion and deposition in the Tharsis area.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image shows were the southwest flank of Hecates Tholus meets ground level. Hecates Tholus is one of the three major volcanoes that make up the Elysium Volcanic complex.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Located at high northern latitude, the floor of this unnamed crater shows a typical surface texture - polygonal ground. On Earth, this surface texture is found above permafrost and is believed to be caused by freeze/thaw cycle of water moving larger material upward.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Northern springtime means clouds. These clouds are close enough to the surface to be affected by this crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Dark slope streak mark the interior of the rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Several gullies are located on the rim of this unnamed crater located on the margin between Tempe Terra and Acidalia Planitia.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image of the western Tharsis region contains many different surface textures. Both volcanism and wind action have played a part in producing the interesting mix of textures seen in this VIS image.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image shows a group of white, wispy clouds over the western flank of Elysium Mons. The clouds are casting shadows in the late afternoon sun.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image of Tempe Terra contains northward flowing channels and a graben running ENE to WSW. When the intersection of the large channel and the graben is examined it shows that the fracturing that created the graben postdates the channel.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Alba Patera is a very large old volcano on the surface of Mars. While still impressive in height, it no longer towers over the surrounding plains. It is thought that after a major eruption that emptied the magma chamber beneath Alba Patera the entire volcano collapsed into the empty space below. This collapse is marked by extensive fracturing. This VIS image shows collapse on a much smaller scale.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The channel that cuts between these two craters is Marte Valles, a lava channel.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Spring in the northern polar region means the return of the sun. This image shows a small portion of the north polar sand sea, an immense region of sand dunes. The dunes are just starting to shed their winter frost and will darken as spring becomes summer and the dark sand is revealed.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The dunes in this polar crater are starting to darken as the sun warms the surface and the frost sublimates (becomes gas).

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Though the northern plains of Mars have little topographic variation, the surfaces textures very greatly from one region to the next. The cause of such variation is unknown.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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These dark sand dunes are located on the floor of Lyot Crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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These dark sand dunes are located on the floor of Lyot Crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The multiple channels at the bottom of the image are dissecting the northern rim of Cerulli Crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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The textures of the floor material in Crommelin Crater are caused by the erosion of a layered deposit within the crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This small, unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea contains material on the floor which has developed an unusual texture. This crater is on the northern rim of Flammarion Crater.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image of Hecates Tholus, the northernmost of the Elysium volcanoes, shows many channels.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This image of Hecates Tholus, the northernmost of the Elysium volcanoes, shows many channels.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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These linear ridges are just one of the many interesting surface features in the Meridiani region.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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This large dune in found on the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea.

Source: THEMIS - Mars Odyssey Mission

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Thi