The Positives and Negatives of Fissure Eruptions
Fissures on Mars are often distinguished as being linear (negative-relief) troughs or depressions such as this one (marked A in the cutout). Its edges appear raised, but that may be due to thick accumulations of wind-blown dust. Just to the south is a much narrower fissure (B) that is parallel to A but appears to be slightly raised (positive relief) with erupted material to either side.
More: https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_083598_1780
#Mars #science
HiClip mini 4K: Helcaraxë
This image shows a small part of what is called the South Polar residual cap, meaning that ice can persist well past the winter season on Mars. (This is a non-narrated clip with ambient sound.)
HiRISE 3D: Sulfate-Rich Cryptic Terrain in Aram Chaos
CRISM and CTX images show there are light-toned sulfates here.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_083898_1830_ESP_084267_1830_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Reading between the TAR
The relatively flat floor of this large crater is almost entirely covered in parallel linear dune-like features called “transverse aeolian ridges” (TAR). The colorful bedrock peeks through between the TAR and in exposed mounds throughout the crater floor.
HiRISE 3D: Down in Russell Crater
The gullies in Russell Crater do not have alcoves, but they do appear to emanate from a distinct layer.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_084464_1250_ESP_084253_1250_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #3D
Secondaries Galore!
In this view we can see a section of a crater wall, and surrounding terrain, littered with small impact craters. Generally, the impact crater density (the number of impact craters in given surface area) is a good indication of how old a particular terrain is. The more craters we see, the older it is.
A New Crater on a Dusty Slope
This image shows a new impact site originally detected by the Context Camera onboard MRO. The crater is on a dusty slope, which also has several dark slope streaks due to dust avalanches.
A previous impact at another place on Mars triggered a major dust avalanche, but this one did not. This tells us that the dust here is more stable (stronger and/or on a lower slope).
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_048686_1785
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA
Lace on Mars
Channels formed by sublimation of a layer of seasonal dry ice are so dense in this area that they look like lace. Gas flow erodes channels as it escapes to the surface of the overlying seasonal ice layer seeking the path of least resistance.
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_046414_0990
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA
HiRISE 3D: A Layered Butte East of Tinjar Valles
The objective of this observation is to determine the nature of a layered butte that is surrounded by concentric fractures.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_076244_2160_ESP_084446_2160_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science
Is That an Impact Crater?
This image was acquired to take a closer look at a circular feature that might be an impact structure on the South Polar layered deposits.
Measuring the sizes and frequency of impact craters provides a constraint on the age of the landscape. However, craters in icy terrain are modified by processes that flatten and change them in such a manner that it is hard to say for sure if it had an impact origin.
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_049075_0995
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
HiRISE 3D: East Facing Gullies
These gullies on the western side of a large impact crater are also visible in Context Camera imagery.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_084155_1300_ESP_084445_1300_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science
Flow Ridges near a Mesa in Protonilus Mensae
The objective of this observation is to examine flow ridges that probably are the result of an old glacier that moved out of a valley from a mesa. Protonilus Mensae is region of chaos terrain. Chaos terrain is typified by regions of blocky, often steep sided, mesas interspersed with deep valleys. With time and erosion the valleys widen and the mesas become smaller.
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_075403_2235
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA
HiRISE 3D; Mesa Stratigraphy at Terby Crater
The 2-3 km sequence of stratigraphy captures a diverse range of sedimentary rock types that includes deposition across all of the three major Martian geologic eras.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_084422_1525_ESP_083921_1525_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science
@stueytheround Yes, there happens to be a 3D version of this observation:
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_075397_0910_ESP_074987_0910_RED
A Conical Pit
Also visible in Context Camera data, this observation highlights what is likely a sublimation collapse pit. The pit is about 170 meters across. Other interesting formations, caused by the expansion and contraction of subsurface ice, are also clearly visible.
ID: ESP_075397_0910
date: 27 August 2022
altitude: 246 km
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_075397_0910
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA
HiRISE 3D: A Sinuous Ridge in Arabia Terra
Could this branching and sinuous ridge in Arabia Terra be an exhumed paleo-valley? Continuing with the two adjacent images would make a nice moasic and allow a detailed geological history to be reconstructed.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_083937_1895_ESP_083581_1895_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science
A Layered Dark-Toned Unit in Utopia Planitia
From HiWish: “Utopia Planitia is known to bear many thermal-contraction crack polygons. We suppose that their density & type depends on the geology of the substrate that bears them. With this image, we will investigate the presence of polygons on a dark-toned layered unit, very similar to other units further north that bear polygons themselves.”
https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_075387_2235
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA
Transient Slope Lineae Formation in a Well-Preserved Crater
The appearance and growth of these features resemble seeping liquid water, but how they form remains unclear, and this research demonstrated that the RSL flows seen by HiRISE are likely moving granular material like sand and dust.
HiRISE 3D: From Fluvial Ridges to Flat-Lying Rock
There is an active hypothesis that most of Aeolis Dorsa is flat lying rock that has been eroded to make a deep trough and expose river strata. This image may capture that exact process - the erosion of flat lying river stratigraphy to create very steep and 3D fluvial ridges.
https://www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP_084419_1730_ESP_084208_1730_RED
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science
HiRISE is a high resolution camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA). We take images of the surface of Mars. Based out of UArizona in Tucson.