Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Update Thread

3488 · Dec 13, 2006

Bump!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

radarredux · Dec 13, 2006

The fourth set of images were released today (13 Dec 2006). As usual, they are both beautiful and scientifically provocative. http://hiroc.lpl.arizona.edu/images/PSP/release_004.html

3488 · Dec 14, 2006

HiRISE Image PSP_001422_1750 This image shows a portion of the central mound in the impact crater Gale that is of interest to scientists because it is composed of light-toned layered deposits. The layered deposits could have formed in a water environment if a lake once filled the crater. Alternatively, particles suspended in the atmosphere, such as dust or volcanic ash, could have built up the layers over time. By using HiRISE images to see details in the layers, such as how their thicknesses vary horizontally and vertically, scientists can narrow down the potential origins. The paucity of impact craters on the layered deposits indicates that either the deposits are very young, or more likely that they are being eroded to remove these craters. Wind erosion has modified the layers after they formed, creating both sharp corners and rounded depressions along the surface. Meter-size boulders can be seen at the base of steep cliffs, but the scarcity of boulders elsewhere suggests most of the erosion is occurring by the wind rather than downslope movement of material. Image PSP_001422_1750 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 15, 2006. The complete image is centered at -5.0 degrees latitude, 137.7 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 262.1 km (163.8 miles). At this distance the image scale is 26.2 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 3:31 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 135.6 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Dec 14, 2006

HiRISE Image PSP_001510_2195 This HiRISE image shows a small portion of the rim of the caldera at the top of the volcano Alba Patera. This volcano has shallower slopes than most of the other large volcanoes on Mars. Unfortunately, this image is not able to help us understand what is unique about Alba Patera because of the thick dust cover. Instead it shows that the dust has been carved into streamlined shapes by the wind, cut by small landslides. Interestingly, there are some isolated patches that appear smooth and undisturbed by the wind. Image PSP_001510_2195 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 22, 2006. The complete image is centered at 39.3 degrees latitude, 251.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 285.7 km (178.6 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 57.2 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) to 114.3 cm/pixel (with 4 x 4 binning). 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 3:23 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 139.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ or http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/ 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, manages the Mars Reconnaissan <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

kane007 · Dec 14, 2006

HiRISE PSP_001334_2645 This false-color subframe shows the north polar layered deposits at top and darker materials at bottom exposed in a scarp at the head of Chasma Boreale, a large canyon eroded into the layered deposits. The polar layered deposits appear red because of dust mixed within them, but are ice-rich as indicated by previous observations. The water ice in the layered deposits is probably responsible for the pattern of fractures seen near the top of the scarp. The darker material below the layered deposits may have been deposited as sand dunes, as indicated by the cross-bedding (truncation of curved lines) seen near the middle of the scarp. It appears that brighter, ice-rich layers were deposited between the dark dunes in places. Image PSP_001334_2645 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 8, 2006. The complete image is centered at 84.4 degrees latitude, 343.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 317.4 km (198.4 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 31.8 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 63.5 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here [below] has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 1:38 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 67 degrees, thus the sun was about 23 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 132.3 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.

3488 · Dec 15, 2006

HiRISE Image PSP_001513_2650 This full HiRISE image shows faults and pits in the north polar residual cap that have not been previously recognized. The faults and depressions between them are similar to features seen on Earth where the crust is being pulled apart. Such tectonic extension must have occurred very recently, as there the north polar residual cap is very young, as indicated by the paucity of impact craters on its surface. Alternatively, the faults and pits may be caused by collapse due to removal of material beneath the surface. The pits are aligned along the faults, either because material has drained into the subsurface along the faults or because gas has escaped from the subsurface through them. Image PSP_001513_2650 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 22, 2006. The complete image is centered at 85.1 degrees latitude, 137.6 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 319.9 km (199.9 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 32.0 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 64.0 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 1:29 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 139.1 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ or http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/ For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov</safety_wrapper <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

abq_farside · Dec 15, 2006

RE: HiRISE PSP_001334_2645 Almost looks like a meandering stream bed in the image. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be! </div>

kane007 · Dec 17, 2006

HiRISE Image PSP_001415_1875 Alluvial Fans in Mojave Crater Closeup false colour image included below or downloadable from HERE. Aptly-named Mojave crater in the Xanthe Terra region has alluvial fans that look remarkably similar to landforms in the Mojave Desert of southeastern California and portions of Nevada and Arizona. Alluvial fans are fan-shaped deposits of water-transported material (alluvium). They typically form at the base of hills or mountains where there is a marked break, or flattening of slope. They typically deposit big rocks near their mouths (close to the mountains) and smaller rocks at greater distances. Alluvial fans form as a result of heavy desert downpours, typically thundershowers. Because deserts are poorly vegetated, heavy and short-lived downpours create a great deal of erosion and nearby deposition. There are fans inside and around the outsides of Mojave crater on Mars that perfectly match the morphology of alluvial fans on Earth, with the exception of a few small impact craters dotting this Martian landscape. Channels begin at the apex of topographic ridges, consistent with precipitation as the source of water, rather than groundwater. This remarkable landscape was first discovered from Mars Orbital Camera images. Mars researchers have suggested that impact-induced atmospheric precipitation may have created these unique landscapes. Image PSP_001415_1875 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 14, 2006. The complete image is centered at 7.6 degrees latitude, 327.4 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 273.5 km (170.9 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from

kane007 · Dec 17, 2006

This is one interesting crater. Sort of reminds me of a moldy apple, but that could be the filters from the camera. Ada Crater. 1.5MB PSP_001348_1770. Closeup image of the crater included below or downloadable from HERE. This HiRISE image covers the youthful and enigmatic Ada crater and its fresh ejecta situated on the southern bounds of Meridiani Planum. Ada crater has an approximate diameter of 2 kilometers. Prior to HiRISE targeting, the crater's freshness was suspected from Mars Orbital Camera (MOC) images showing primary structures in the ejecta, from Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) mapping. THEMIS showed that the crater possesses a thermally distinct ejecta blanket, and TES spectral mapping demonstrated that the area surrounding the crater had been extensively swept clean of the surface deposit (possessing a Fe-rich mineral known as hematite) known to drape Meridiani Planum. The HiRISE sub-image shows that the crater has well-developed and sharp crater morphologic features with no discernable superimposed impact craters—a clear testament to the crater's youthfulness. The interior crater morphology is what makes Ada so enigmatic, as it appears that it consists of two craters (i.e., a smaller crater nested in a larger one). Another idea explaining this "nested" crater-in-crater appearance is that the interior ledge may have been bedrock that slid down the crater wall. However, the darker tone of this interior "exposure" does not appear to match the light-toned bedrock exposed in the upper crater wall. This suggests that the crater sampled two distinct rock types from the subsurface. The presence of these two distinct rock types is an important clue with t

3488 · Dec 18, 2006

Fantastic. Thanks kane007. MRO along with the rovers are DEFINATELY going to re-write the books on Mars. This is worth a big bump!!! Please can we pin this thread?? Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Dec 20, 2006

http://hiroc.lpl.arizona.edu//images/PSP/release_005.html Release No 5 from the HiRISE site. Once again, these images are revealing an incredibly new level of fine detail on Mars. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

franontanaya · Dec 20, 2006

HiRISE image PSP_001330_1395 I lightened it to see those amazing gullies. There's no informative text yet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

abq_farside · Dec 21, 2006

What great detail <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be! </div>

franontanaya · Dec 23, 2006

This is a false color crop from the full PSP_001331_2260 image, released 20 Dec and titled "Scalloped terrain". You can see the crater at the top. "Image PSP_001331_2260 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 8, 2006. The complete image is centered at 45.6 degrees latitude, 93.7 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 298.4 km (186.5 miles). At this distance the image scale is 29.9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~90 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 3:19 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 132.2 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer." There's an interesting bright rim at the southern border of the crater. The whole image shows only a few scattered craters and a lot of dessication cracks, I guess both the terrain and this crater are quite "young". I wonder if that's just sand filling the crater. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

franontanaya · Dec 23, 2006

I forgot the image

brellis · Dec 27, 2006

Former MER Project Manager is New P.M. for MRO Jim Erickson has serious street cred on Mars - this sounds like good news. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better. </div>

franontanaya · Dec 27, 2006

New HiRISE release: http://hiroc.lpl.arizona.edu/images/PSP/release_006.html Too many to count, though they are still taking lots of shots of Northern Plains for the Phoenix landing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

3488 · Dec 28, 2006

Interesting image of the Caldera wall of Ascraeus Mons. At the high resolution of 50cm per pixel, it shows a great many tiny impact craters. I would like to see a similar shot of the caldera floors of all the volcanoes at this reso!! Given that the summit of all of the large four giant Tharsis volcanoes (Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, Arsia Mons & of course Olympus Mons), almost stick out into space, this will be able to date when approx the last eruptions were & when the caldera collapses occured. This MRO image tells me that no much has happened on this part of Ascraus Mons for a very long time indeed. Perhaps someone who knows more about the cratering rates on Mars could enlighten me? Also the western basal scarp image of Olympus Mons (82 cm per pixel) by MRO, tells a similar story!! It is also heavily pitted by small craters!! Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Dec 28, 2006

Ascreaus Mons Caldera Wall. Image PSP_001444_1915 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 16, 2006. The complete image is centered at 11.3 degrees latitude, 255.9 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 254.6 km (159.1 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 50.9 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) to 101.9 cm/pixel (with 4 x 4 binning). 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 3:29 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 51 degrees, thus the sun was about 39 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 136.5 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ or http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/ 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, 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. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Dec 28, 2006

Olympus Mons basal scarp. HiRISE Image PSP_001432_2015 Image PSP_001432_2015 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 16, 2006. The complete image is centered at 21.6 degrees latitude, 222.3 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 273.1 km (170.7 miles). At this distance the image scale is 27.3 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 3:28 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 136.0 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ or http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/ 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, 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. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

abq_farside · Jan 2, 2007

re: HiRISE Image PSP_001432_2015 When first looking at the image you posted, the roundish looking objects almost looked out of place and artificial. Edit: Artificial meaning image artifacts But looking at the image on the HiRISE site in a larger resolution, you can really see in great detail what appears to be sand dunes. Still odd looking though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be! </div>

3488 · Jan 3, 2007

No further updates as yet, just checked on the HiRISE site. Yes I agree, the dunes do look strange. Perhaps the fact that the surface gravity of Mars being 38% of Earth's means they can form weird shapes, like some of smaller ones seen by the MERs. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

ldyaidan · Jan 3, 2007

Agreed...almost looks like water drops on the film... Rae

3488 · Jan 4, 2007

Hi all, first HiRISE release for 2007. Release no 7. Wednesday 3rd January 2007. Definitely looking for a landing site for the Mars Phoenix Lander, as many of these are devoted to the northern plains, particularly Scandia Colles. http://hiroc.lpl.arizona.edu//images/PSP/release_007.html Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

abq_farside · Jan 8, 2007

Self serving bump <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be! </div>

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