Category Archives: Reports

THEMIS: Ascraeus Mons flank and lava plains

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 1, 2019. This VIS image is located where the southeastern flank of Ascraeus Mons meets the surrounding volcanic plains. Ascraeus Mons is the northernmost of the three large Tharsis volcanoes. Explore more THEMIS Images … Continue reading

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Curiosity update: A drill with a view

Sols 2482-83, July 30, 2019, update by MSL scientist Mariah Baker: The rover is currently located in the southern part of the “Visionarium,” where we are set to start our next drill campaign, and we can’t help but take in … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Possible jarosite on a plateau in Nili Fossae

Possible jarosite on a plateau in Nili Fossae. Recent analyses of CRISM data have discovered jarosite in this portion of the trough wall, possibly within a previously identified aluminum clay unit. Jarosite is a sulfate mineral also detected by the … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Mega-gullies in Sinai Planum

THEMIS Image of the Day, July 31, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows part a section of a mega gully. Located on the plains of Sinai Planum, it is just one of a number of huge channels that line the cliff … Continue reading

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Latest weather at Gale Crater and Elysium Planitia

Daily Elysium charts and data (temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure) here.

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HiRISE: Small craters in Promethei Terra

Small craters in Promethei Terra. The target area is for the theoretical landing of a rover, in a flat area close by. The craters in the target area are important because they are a potential source of rock samples that … Continue reading

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Curiosity: Northern perspective

Sol 2480, July 29, 2019. From atop the Southern Outcrop, five Navcam frames profile the exposed rock in front of Curiosity, as well as the terrain it has crossed to get here — note the two wheel tracks as they … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Elysium Chasma

THEMIS Image of the Day, July 30, 2019. This fracture system is called Elysium Chasma. Located west of Elysium Mons, it is just one of many large fractures in the Elysium volcanic complex. Explore more THEMIS Images of the Day … Continue reading

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Curiosity update: On the lookout for a drill site

Sol 2481, July 29, 2019, update by MSL scientist Vivian Sun: After a successful ascent to the top of the southern outcrop in the “Visionarium,” we are now searching for our next drill site. There were no bedrock exposures available … Continue reading

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Daedalia Planum flows combine dusty surfaces and exposed lava outcrops

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Christine Simurda and two co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] The Unusual Thermophysical and Surface Properties of the Daedalia Planum Lava Flows • Unusual thermophysical variations are present on lava flows … Continue reading

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