| Piú votate - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) |
PSP_005349_0930_RED_abrowse-1.jpgCircular Feature in the South Polar Residual Cap (Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)107 visiteThis 4 Km-diameter Circular Surface Feature near the Edge of the South Polar Residual Cap was recognized in Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter images taken in the '70s, but its origin could not be inferred. It was therefore targeted for HiRISE stereo imaging.
The bright areas in this image are covered by CO2 frost, and the "Swiss Cheese" terrain typical of the South Polar Residual Cap covers much of the imaged area.
The Dark Walls of the Circular Depression do not have as much Frost on them, and are fractured in a polygonal pattern. Apparently the Surface of the Walls has been extensively modified by thermal expansion and contraction of water ice. It also appears that the "Swiss Cheese" Terrain of the Residual Cap has buried the Floor of the Circular Depression, as well as the Terrain surrounding the Feature, making it difficult to infer its origin.
Its circular symmetry is consistent with an impact origin, but there is no evidence of a Crater Rim or Ejecta Blanket (perhaps because they have been buried).
The Depression may also have formed by collapse, but there is little evidence of extensional fractures that would be expected around a Collapse Pit. Analysis of HiRISE stereo data may help the interpretation of this Feature.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019747_1975_RED_abrowse.jpgGraben cutting Lava-Flow (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)72 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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Meridiani_Planum-PIA13598-PCF-LXTT.jpgOpportunity's "Martian Traverse" through Sol 2442 (Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)70 visiteThe white line on this map shows where NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has driven from the place where it landed in January 2004 - inside Eagle Crater, at the lower left end of the track - to where it reached on the 2442nd Martian Day, or Sol, of its work on Mars (such as December 6, 2010).
The map covers an area about 14 Km (approx. 8,7 miles) wide.
South is at the top.
An Eastward drive of 124 meters (405 feet) on Sol 2442 brought Opportunity to within about 550 meters (1800 feet) of Santa Maria Crater.
Santa Maria, with a diameter about of about 90 meters (295 feet), is nearly as big as Endurance Crater, which Opportunity entered and explored from June to December 2004.
The Sol 2442 drive brought Opportunity's Total Odometry to 25,92 Km (such as 16,11 miles). The long-term destination of the Mission since mid-2008 has been Endeavour Crater, still more than 6 Km (about 3,7 miles) away. The western edge of Endeavour appears in the upper right, including Ridges that are part of the Crater's eroded Rim. This Crater is about 22 Km (approx. 14 miles) in diameter, dwarfing the largest crater that Opportunity has visited so far, Victoria, which is about 800 meters (approx. half a mile) in diameter. Opportunity explored the Rim and interior of Victoria from mid-2006 to mid-2008.
The base map for this traverse map is a mosaic combining images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera and the Context Camera, both on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It is used by Tim Parker of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, for mapping each of Opportunity's drives based on images taken by the rover after the drive.
Opportunity completed its three-month prime mission in April 2004 and has continued operations in extended missions since then. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, operates the Context Camera.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019992_1340_RED_abrowse.jpgSouthern Dunefield (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)71 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019595_1890_RED_abrowse-00.jpgDiverse Bedrock Exposures on the Floor of Nii Patera (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)81 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019596_1365_RED_abrowse-PCF-LXTT.jpgOn the Edge of Hellas Planitia (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)113 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019612_2250_RED_abrowse.jpgMud-Volcanoes (?) in Acidalia Planitia (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)103 visiteThis proposed future Mars Landing Site in Acidalia Planitia targets densely occurring Mounds thought to be "Mud Volcanoes".
Mud Volcanoes are geological structures formed when a mixture of gas, liquid and fine-grained rock (or mud) is forced to the Surface from several meters to kilometers underground.
Scientists are targeting these Mud Volcanoes because the sediments, brought from depth, could contain organic materials that might provide evidence for possible past and present microbial life on Mars.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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PSP_005069_1670_RED_abrowse-00.jpgExposed Faults and Gravity Wasting Evidence in Coprates Chasma (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)109 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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PSP_005069_1670_RED_abrowse-01.jpgExposed Faults and Gravity Wasting Evidence in Coprates Chasma (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)99 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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PSP_004060_1440_RED_abrowse-01-PIA13611.jpgUnnamed Southern Crater with deep Gullies (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)93 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
(2 voti)
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ESP_019711_2455_RED_abrowse.jpgUnnamed Crater in Vastitas Borealis (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)94 visiteThis image covers part of a large Impact Crater located in the Northern Plains of Mars (Vastitas Borealis Region). The Crater is old and has been heavily modified by ground ice processes. The most prominent of these processes is the network of Polygonal Fractures visible throughout the image.
These landforms are created when temperature changes over the course of a year cause ice in the ground to first expand, then contract and, in the end, break. The ground moves fractionally every time this occurs.
At the center of the frame it can be seen that this - repetitive - process has caused the shifting of rocks and boulders through the Surface of the Crater, thus causing them to line up along the Fractures and then form some interesting geometric patterns.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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PSP_002884_1395_RED_abrowse-00.jpgUnnamed Southern Crater with deep Gullies (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)95 visiteThis observation shows gullies in a Southern HemisphereUnnamed Crater whose Floor has large Mounds of material that are likely "Slump Blocks" that fell off the Crater Walls during a late stage of formation (---> this is a Gravity Wasting Event). There are also a large number of Dunes of different sizes and facing different directions on the Crater Floor.
A lot of Polygonal Fractures can also be seen on the Walls, inside the Gullies (see the following EDM). In addition, some of the Gullies facing the East were active more recently. They do not have Polygonal Fractures or they have fractures that are less well-developed.
A narrow, primarily unmodified Channel is also visible.
It is unknown over what period of time Gullies formed in individual settings and globally. It is possible that Gully formation continues today.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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