Tag Archives: Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars

CRISM: Polyhydrates, sulfates, gypsum, and Fe silicates at a Sisyphi Montes dome

The Sisyphi Montes are a series of large semicircular mountains in Sisyphi Planum, a volcanic province on Mars located between the south polar terrains, Argyre, and Hellas basins. In this CRISM scene we observe polyhydrated sulfates (magenta), gypsum (blue), and … Continue reading

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CRISM: Olivine and pyroxene in ejecta from northern plains crater

CRISM scene HRL00003BEE covers an area in close proximity to a crater in the northern plains of Mars. In this image, we see strong Fe-rich olivine (yellow) and high calcium pyroxene (HCP, blue) signatures in the ejecta near the crater … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Clay-rich terrain in the Eridania Basin

HiRISE reveals small-scale shapes that often correlate with mineral units and provides information about stratigraphy (i.e., what’s on top and relative ages). This image was acquired for co-analysis with a spectrometer instrument also on our spacecraft called CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance … Continue reading

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CRISM: Iron-magnesium phyllosilicates near rim of Gale Crater

CRISM scene FRT0000B5A3 covers the southern wall of Gale crater, 15 km downslope from the rim. This region is gently sloping, compared to the northern wall, potentially indicating that the Gale basement rocks in the crater rim are mantled by … Continue reading

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CRISM: Hydrated minerals of Cydonia Colles

In this scene we observe the knobs within the northern lowlands (Acidalia Planitia) that are Fe/Mg phyllosilicate-bearing (pink-blue) and small, patchy exposures of hydrated silica (green) surrounding the knobs. Previously, phyllosilicates have only been found within impact craters in the … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Looking at martian salts and clays

This 3D perspective view is a composite of both HiRISE and data from CRISM, another instrument onboard MRO. This view covers a small patch of ancient Martian real estate in Terra Sirenum. CRISM collects spectral data that can be used … Continue reading

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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter preps aging hardware, instruments for extended operation

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has begun extra stargazing to help the space agency accomplish advances in Mars exploration over the next decade. The spacecraft already has worked more than double its planned mission life since launch in 2005. NASA … Continue reading

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CRISM: Hydrated minerals in Chryse Planitia

The Chryse Planitia is a smooth circular plain that has a diameter of 1600 km, and has a depth of 2.5 km below its average surface altitude, making it one of Mars’s lowest regions. Chryse Planitia was a landing site … Continue reading

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Ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits in Eridania

The discovery of evidence for ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits on Mars identifies an area on the planet that may offer clues about the origin of life on Earth. A recent international report [published in Nature Communications by a team led … Continue reading

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CRISM: Ice on rim of crater on Alba Mons

Alba Mons is the largest volcano, by area, on Mars. A low-lying volcano in the northern Tharsis region, Alba Mons has an elevation of 6.8 km, and volcanic flow fields that extend at least 1,350 km from the summit. Alba … Continue reading

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