Tag Archives: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

HiRISE: Diverse lithologies on a crater floor

Posted on April 19, 2018 by rburnham

This image shows bedrock units with diverse colors indicating different mineral concentrations. NB: HiRISE has not been allowed to acquire off-nadir targeted observations for a couple of months due to MRO spacecraft issues, so many high-priority science objectives are on … Continue reading →

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MARCI weather report, April 9-15, 2018

Posted on April 19, 2018 by rburnham

Dust storm activity continued along the seasonal south polar ice cap edge of Mars this past week. Equatorward of the southern seasonal cap edge, local-scale dust storms were observed over Noachis and Cimmeria. At the beginning of the week, a … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Curved ridge and layered materials

Posted on April 19, 2018 by rburnham

Curved ridge and layered materials. Is the curved ridge a remnant of inverted stream channel sediment, crater ejecta, or something else (e.g., tectonic)? Are the layered materials sedimentary rock? Beautiful Mars series.

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HiRISE: Streamlined features and fractures in Hebrus Valles

Posted on April 18, 2018 by rburnham

Streamlined features and fractures in Hebrus Valles. The rationale for this observation is to assess outflow channel discharges as well as getting a better look at the actual topography. Beautiful Mars series.

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HiRISE: Bouldery plains

Posted on April 18, 2018 by rburnham

Sometimes we see a field of boulders rather than bedrock, as in this image. [More at link]

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HiRISE: Young lava flows

Posted on April 17, 2018 by rburnham

This image shows remarkably young lava flows in Elysium Planitia. There are almost no impact craters over this flow, indicating that it is probably only a few million years old—practically an infant in geologic time. [More at link]

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HiRISE: Terrain immediately south of Arsia Mons

Posted on April 17, 2018 by rburnham

Terrain immediately south of Arsia Mons. This terrain is probably due to ancient volcanic activity. Beautiful Mars series.

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HiRISE: Frosted dunes in north polar region

Posted on April 16, 2018 by rburnham

A soothing way to start your Monday. These polar dunes show both carbon dioxide frost (the while colored areas) along with darker material that’s been exposed due to sublimation, and is blown by the wind to form these dark spots. … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Candidate ExoMars landing site in Oxia Palus

Posted on April 16, 2018 by rburnham

Candidate ExoMars landing site in Oxia Palus region. Beautiful Mars series.

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HiRISE: Dunes in western Medusae Fossae

Posted on April 13, 2018 by rburnham

Dunes in western Medusae Fossae. These dark dunes in the western Medusae Fossae Formation provide some evidence of being derived locally, probably coming from the north and because of the wind. Beautiful Mars series.

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