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The 'Twin Peaks' are modest-size hills to the southwest of the Mars Pathfinder landing site. They were discovered on the first panoramas taken by NASA's IMP camera on the 4th of July, 1997, and identified in Viking Orbiter images taken over 20 years ago.

The "Twin Peaks" are modest-size hills to the southwest of the Mars Pathfinder landing site. They were discovered on the first panoramas taken by the IMP camera on the 4th of July, 1997, and subsequently identified in Viking Orbiter images taken over 20 years ago. The peaks are approximately 30-35 meters (-100 feet) tall. North Twin is approximately 860 meters (2800 feet) from the lander, and South Twin is about a kilometer away (3300 feet). The scene includes bouldery ridges and swales or "hummocks" of flood debris that range from a few tens of meters away from the lander to the distance of the South Twin Peak.The composite color frames that make up this "left-eye" image consist of 8 frames, taken with different color filters that were enlarged by 500% and then co-added using Adobe Photoshop to produce, in effect, a super-resolution panchromatic frame that is sharper than an individual frame would be. This panchromatic frame was then colorized with the red, green, and blue filtered images from the same sequence. The color balance was adjusted to approximate the true color of Mars.This image and PIA02406 (right eye) make up a stereo pair.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The IMP was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator. Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.

This image highlights streaks or tails of loose debris in the martian soil, which reveal the direction of prevailing winds. The picture was taken by the panoramic camera onboard NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit.

This image highlights streaks or tails of loose debris in the martian soil, which reveal the direction of prevailing winds. The picture was taken by the panoramic camera on Mars Exploration Rover Spirit.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows Siton Undae, a large dune field located in the northern plains near Escorial Crater on Mars. The nearby north polar cap is dissected by Chasma Boreale, which exposes an ice free surface.

Context imageSiton Undae is a large dune field located in the northern plains near Escorial Crater. Siton Undae is west of the crater and is one of three dune fields near the crater. The nearby north polar cap is dissected by Chasma Boreale, which exposes an ice free surface. This image shows part of the southern extent of the dune field.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 46166 Latitude: 74.717 Longitude: 295.529 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-05-11 12:43Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

These small channels join to become Sabis Vallis on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Context image for PIA03664Valley DivideThese small channels join to become Sabis Vallis.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -35.3N, Longitude 159.3E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a chain of collapse pits on the lower south flank of Ascraeus Mons on Mars. Pit chains such as this are the result of collapse along fault lines.

5 October 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a chain of collapse pits on the lower south flank of Ascraeus Mons. Pit chains such as this are the result of collapse along fault lines. In this case, before the collapses occurred, the fault was a conduit for molten rock -- magma -- which erupted to form a suite of lava flows (now covered by mantles of dust) that can be seen radiating away from the pit at the center of the image.Location near: 7.2°N, 104.3°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn

This image, taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, shows part of the floor of Arkhangelsky Crater. Small individual dunes are found in this region of the crater floor.

Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis VIS image shows part of the floor of Arkhangelsky Crater. Small individual dunes are found in this region of the crater floor.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -40.7N, Longitude 335.1E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

These windstreaks are located in northern Terra Tyrrhena. The wind was blowing from NE to SW to create the streaks in the lee of the craters. This image is from NASA's Mars Odyssey.

Context imageThis VIS image shows parts of two giant gully that are located on the southern side of Ius Chasma. Ius Chasma has the largest number of mega gullies of any of the chasmata that make up Valles Marineris.Orbit Number: 40782 Latitude: -0.919355 Longitude: 70.7413 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-02-23 06:12Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The surface of Mars is completely hidden from view by clouds as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Context image for PIA08475A Cloudy DayThe surface of Mars is completely hidden from view by clouds.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 52.3N, Longitude 52.9E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small portion of Yuty Crater's ejecta blanket.

Context imageThis VIS image shows a small portion of Yuty Crater's ejecta blanket. The crater is off the image to the right. The lobes of ejecta end in a raised ridge of material; this type of ejecta/crater is often called a rampart crater.Orbit Number: 63585 Latitude: 22.3826 Longitude: 325.251 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-04-14 09:27Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 93 (April 7, 2004). It reveals the martian view from Spirit's position during the four-sol flight software update that began on sol 94.

This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 93 (April 7, 2004). It reveals the martian view from Spirit's position during the four-sol flight software update that began on sol 94.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows large, dark sand dunes on Mars. These dunes are on the floor of Kaiser Crater.

Context image for PIA09278Kaiser CraterSnaking sinuously across the top corner of this image are large, dark sand dunes. These dunes are on the floor of Kaiser Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -47.4N, Longitude 19.9E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Candor Chasma.

Context image The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Candor Chasma. There is a landslide deposit from the rim of the chasma.Orbit Number: 44856 Latitude: -6.68095 Longitude: 283.729 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-01-24 15:20Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a large landslide deposit in Ganges Chasma on Mars.

Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis daytime IR image shows a large landslide deposit in Ganges Chasma.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -8.8N, Longitude 315.4E. 124 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

An unusual mix of textures is featured in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft of a surface east of the Phlegra Montes. Scabby mounds, commonly occurring around degraded craters, mix with a more muted, knobby terrain.

An unusual mix of textures is featured in this image of a surface east of the Phlegra Montes. Scabby mounds, commonly occurring around degraded craters, mix with a more muted, knobby terrain. Cutting through the scene are troughs associated with the quasi-polygonal features that are most evident in the MOLA context image. Given the mid-latitude location, it is likely that ground ice has had a role in shaping this landscape.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 44.9, Longitude 175.9 East (184.1 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the plains of Tyrrhena Terra.

Context imageThe THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the plains of Tyrrhena Terra.Orbit Number: 43315 Latitude: -25.3184 Longitude: 78.9694 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-09-19 19:23Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of Ganges Chasma. Deposits of fine surface materials and bright layered deposits are visible in this image.

Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the floor of Ganges Chasma. Deposits of fine surface materials and bright layered deposits are visible in this image.Orbit Number: 37342 Latitude: -6.50809 Longitude: 311.331 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-05-16 00:13Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a cratered plain west of Schiaparelli Crater, Mars. The area captured in this image, and areas adjacent to it, are known for high dust devil traffic.

5 July 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a cratered plain west of Schiaparelli Crater, Mars. The area captured in this image, and areas adjacent to it, are known for high dust devil traffic and the day this image was acquired in March 2006 was no exception. Near the top of the image, diagonally from the large impact crater cut by the left (west) edge of the image, there is a large dust devil traversing the plain and casting a shadow to the east. Also, near the bottom of the image, a smaller dust devil, is working its way across the plain.Location near: 5.9°S, 349.2°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Autumn

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Ius Chasma, the western end of the Valles Marineris system. In general there is more dust in the western region of Valles Marineris than anywhere else in the chasma system.

Context image for PIA11341LandslideThis image shows part of Ius Chasma, the western end of the Valles Marineris system. The landslide in this image is difficult to see due to dust cover. In general there is more dust in the western region of Valles Marineris than anywhere else in the chasma system.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -6.7N, Longitude 270.8E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows channels located on the inner rim of Cerulli Crater on Mars.

Context image for PIA11255Cerulli ChannelsThe channels in this VIS image are located on the inner rim of Cerulli Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 32.9N, Longitude 22.5E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows several small landslide deposits in Noctis Labyrinthus.

Context imageToday's VIS image shows several small landslide deposits in Noctis Labyrinthus.Orbit Number: 48989 Latitude: -13.2116 Longitude: 263.29 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-12-29 19:30Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows

24 April 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a large and several small pits formed by collapse along the trend of a fault system in the Uranius Fossae region of Mars. Running diagonal from middle-right toward lower left is a trough that intersects the pit. The trough is a typical graben formed by faulting as the upper crust of Mars split and pulled apart at this location. The opening of the graben also led to formation of the collapse pits.Location near: 26.2°N, 88.7°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Summer

This observation captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a couple of landforms that may result from the loss of large amounts of ice from subsurface deposits: polygonal patterns of troughs and large scallop-shaped depressions.

The Martian landscape often owes its existence to the influences of liquid water and ice. This observation shows a couple of landforms that may result from the loss of large amounts of ice from subsurface deposits: polygonal patterns of troughs and large scallop-shaped depressions. Collectively, such landforms are referred to as "thermokarst."Cold ice is generally strong and supports the weight of overlying soil. But when ice is lost through melting or sublimation, the supported surface can subside or collapse into the gradually growing cavity left behind by the lost ice. The shapes of the resulting depressions can offer us with clues (and lingering questions) to the origin of the ice.Under the proper climate conditions ice may form and seasonally accumulate in a honeycomb network of vertical fractures that appear when ice-rich soil contracts each winter. On Earth this form of subsurface ice is called an "ice wedge." Special conditions are needed for this ice to accumulate and develop into a large wedge, namely warm temperature and abundant surface water. A thick layer of thawed wet soil forms allowing water to percolate into the open contraction cracks within the permafrost beneath. Later, loss of this wedge ice, by for example sublimation, results in deep depressions marking the honeycomb network.Likewise, the larger scallop depressions might point to a past climate of frozen ponds or local patches of windblown snow collected in hollows. These surface ice deposits could later be covered by the ever-shifting soils and dust. In either case, the currently bitter cold and dry climate of Mars is not conducive to forming either of these buried-ice forms. Therefore, these landforms point to a warmer, but still cold, climate in the geologic past.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a dust storm raging in the Valles Marineris troughs, Melas Chasma and Ius Chasma. Skies are clear over western Candor Chasma.

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-493, 24 September 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle image shows a dust storm raging in the Valles Marineris troughs, Melas Chasma and Ius Chasma. Skies are clear over western Candor Chasma (upper right). MOC images have shown that Mars has many weather phenomena that repeat, like clockwork, from year to year. This picture was taken during southern winter at a time of year that commonly has dust storms that come up from the plains south of the Valles Marineris, then enter the southern chasms of Ius and Melas. The picture is located at 8°S, 77°W, and covers an area 246 km (153 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.

This image acquired on October 25, 2020 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a textbook example of regular, nearly hexagonal polygon networks.

Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThe soil surface on Mars is believed to contain water ice, especially at higher latitudes. Similar to permafrost regions on Earth, this permanently frozen water remains geologically active.With the changing seasons, alternate cooling and warming causes the ice-cemented soil to contract and expand. Under favorable conditions these forces generate cracks into the hard frozen ground releasing the stresses caused by contraction. Over years of cyclic cracking, a curious honeycomb-like polygonal pattern arises. The presence of these widespread patterns on Mars present valuable clues as to the occurrence or absence of ice in the subsurface. This image shows a textbook example of regular, nearly hexagonal polygon networks. The geometry of the polygons reveals hints of how long the ice has been there and how deeply buried it may be.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 24.8 centimeters [9.8 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 74 centimeters [29.1 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

This image, acquired on July 28, 2019 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows Chukhung, a 45 kilometer-diameter, central pit crater in Tempe Terra.

Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionChukhung is a 45 kilometer-diameter, central pit crater in Tempe Terra, having likely formed 3 billion years ago. The southern portion of the crater floor hosts a large viscous flow feature that is hypothesized to be a glacier. There are sinuous ridges that emanate from the margin of the flow feature toward the center of the crater. These ridges could be evidence of glacial meltwater preserved in the form of eskers, inverted channels formed when the softer sediments surrounding the channel deposits are eroded away. It is unclear whether the conditions for wet-based glaciation ever existed on Mars, but these ridges could be evidence that it once did.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 29.2 centimeters [11.5 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 88 centimeters [34.6 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.This is a stereo pair with ESP_060676_2185.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

One type of feature of scientific interest on the mountain inside Gale crater is exposure of cemented fractures, evidence that groundwater once reached to at least that height of the mountain. This image is from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

One type of feature of scientific interest on the mountain inside Gale crater is exposure of cemented fractures, evidence that groundwater once reached to at least that height of the mountain.This image of that part of the mountain, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows symmetry in how material on one side of each fracture is balanced by material on the other side. This pattern indicates that mineral-saturated groundwater once filled the fractures. The water deposited minerals on both sides of the opening, eventually filling the gap.This observation increases the appeal of Gale crater, which has been selected as the landing site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission.

These arcuate fractures on Mars are located on the margin between Memnonia Fossae and Elysium Planitia as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey.

Context image for PIA08104Memnonia EdgeThese arcuate fractures are located on the margin between Memnonia Fossae and Elysium Planitia.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 1.4N, Longitude 177.5E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Dawes Crater. Dawes Crater is located in Terra Sabaea and is 185 km (115 miles) in diameter.

Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Dawes Crater. Dawes Crater is located in Terra Sabaea and is 185 km (115 miles) in diameter.Orbit Number: 71178 Latitude: -9.23145 Longitude: 37.0457 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-12-30 22:27Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the walls and floor of a valley in the western Memnonia region of Mars. The finely-textured ridges and pits found on the valley walls and upland outside of the valley were formed by wind erosion.

24 August 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the walls and floor of a valley in the western Memnonia region of Mars. The finely-textured ridges and pits found on the valley walls and upland outside of the valley were formed by wind erosion.Location near: 487.5°S, 155.8°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Southern Spring

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a portion of Sirenum Fossae. The linear features are tectonic graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting.

Context imageToday's VIS image shows a portion of Sirenum Fossae. The linear features are tectonic graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Numerous sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long and stretch from eastern Terra Sirenum into western Daedalia Planum.Orbit Number: 92253 Latitude: -32.4503 Longitude: 205.396 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-10-01 09:14Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor taken on August 22, 1998 shows dark streaks emanating from dark patches among Mars' north polar dunes.

Recognizing that Mars is a desert planet, science fiction writers, scientists, and proponents of Mars exploration have, for decades, written and talked about "The Sands of Mars." The first martian sand dunes were observed by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1972. Ever since then, however, it has been unclear as to whether these dunes are active in today's extremely thin martian atmosphere (100 times thinner than on Earth at Sea Level), or if the dunes are the "fossil" remnants of a past epoch when the atmosphere was thicker and sand was more easily transported.This year, the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft, made some key observations that appear to indicate that some martian dunes are active today. In fact, some dunes probably experienced activity--wind blowing the sand around--as recently as mid-1998.Dunes typically contain granular fragments of rocks and minerals. These grains are usually 0.06 to 2 millimeters (0.002 to .08 inches) in size (which geologists call sand), and they are transported by the wind either by hopping over the ground (a process called saltation) or rolling along the ground (called traction). Images from the Mariner 9 and Viking orbiters of the 1970s did not have sufficient resolution to see detailed patterns of sand movement, although a few Viking images showed faint streaks emanating from a few dune fields; these were interpreted as possible indicators of sand movement.Mars Global Surveyor has taken many images of martian dunes. Some dunes appear to be inactive and covered with dust. Other dunes, however, show all of the characteristics of fresh, active dunes. The most exciting examples have been found among the dunes in the martian north polar region.The north polar cap of Mars (shown here in mosaics of Viking Orbiter 2images 065b56 and 065b58 of regional context and local context) is surrounded by a zone of dark (i.e., low albedo) dunes. These were first seen by Mariner 9 as a rippled texture, and by Viking as definitive sand dunes. Between late-July and mid-September 1998, the MGS periapsis (closest point in the spacecraft orbit relative to Mars) took the MOC right over the north polar dune fields four times a day. This provided many opportunities to take high resolution pictures of these dunes--resolutions that ranged from 1.5 to 5.0 meters (5 to 16 feet) per pixel.The very first images of these north polar dunes--one of which was released via the World Wide Web on August 7, 1998--showed that they were coated with thin, bright frost that was left-over from the northern winter season that ended in mid-July. The first images also showed small dark spots along the bases of many of the dunes.As more and higher-resolution images of the north polar dunes were taken, it became obvious that the dark spots on these dunes were areas where the seasonal frost coating had been removed--either by sublimation or by wind erosion--and that dark material was being exposed from underneath. The dark material was presumed to be the sediment that comprises the north polar dunes.Some of the dark spots have thin, dark streaks emanating from them. These dark streaks are interpreted to be the result of wind action. The simplest explanation is that gusts of wind have blown the dark sand out across the frost-covered dunes, creating a streak of deposited sand over the frost. Some spots, as in the image shown here, have multiple streaks, each one indicating a different wind gust that moved in a different direction.Because the frost that covers the north polar dunes can only be a few months old (i.e., northern winter lasted from mid-February 1998 to mid-July 1998), the dark streaks superposed on bright frost are clear indicators that dune material has been moved by the wind within recent months. The image shown here, MOC #50805, was taken on August 22, 1998. The streaks emanating from dark patches among the dunes in image 50805 must have formed sometime during 1998, and they most likely formed some time in July and/or August--once spring had begun in the northern hemisphere.The observation of dark spots and wind streaks among the north polar dunes led the MOC science team to attempt to image the same dunes more than once. If the dunes are indeed active, then it would be possible--it was hoped--to see changes from one image to the next. Such changes could be used to (a) confirm that the dunes are active and (b) estimate the rate at which sand can be transported by wind under martian conditions. Since the MOC was turned off at the end of the Science Phasing Orbits in mid-September 1998, only about seven weeks (late-July to mid-September) were available to try to repeat an observation of a north polar dune field. Only once during this short span of time was there an opportunity to cross a dune field previously observed. A north polar dune field on the floor of an old impact crater was crossed by MOC twice--once on July 30, 1998, and again on September 2, 1998. However, it turned out that the two images crossedoutside the dune field, near the crater rim. It is quite difficult to image the same location twice with the MOC, because it cannot be pointed in a desired direction--it only "sees" what is beneath it. Minor fluctuations in the spacecraft orbit and attitude--due to variations in the martian gravity field and to upper atmosphere drag and inaccuracies within the attitude control system--led to the offset crossing.The 1998 observations of the north polar dunes and other dune fields on Mars are quite tantalizing and appear to indicate that many dunes are active under present martian conditions. Confirmation of this result will await the Mapping Phase of the MGS mission, when it should be possible to take additional pictures of the same dune fields already observed by MOC. These new pictures will be compared with the ones from 1998 to see if any changes occurred. The Mapping Phase of the MGS mission is scheduled to commence in late-March 1999, and run for an entire martian year, into March 2001.The results of the initial MOC study of martian sand dune activity are given in a paper entitled "Activity of Mars Eolian Dunes: Observation of a Low-Albedo Dune Field At High Spatial Resolution by the Mars Global Surveyor Camera," by MSSS Staff Scientist Kenneth S. Edgett and MOC Principal Investigator, Michael C. Malin, presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting on October 29, 1998.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a rugged plain in the martian southern cratered highlands near the Nepenthes Mensae on Mars.

One of the original objectives of the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) when it was proposed to NASA in 1985 was to take pictures that would be used to assess future spacecraft landing sites. Images obtained by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) MOC since March 1999 provide the highest resolution views (1.5 to 4.5 meters (5-15 ft) per pixel) of the planet ever seen. Over the past several months, MOC science personnel have been examining these new data to develop a general view of what Mars is like at the meter-scale within the general latitude and elevation range that will be accessible to the Mars Surveyor 2001 lander. (i.e., about 5°N to 15°S latitude and lower than 2.5 km (1.6 mi) elevation).Because MOC images only cover a tiny fraction of one percent of the surface of Mars, we have been seeking general correlations that exist between what is seen in a MOC high-resolution image and what can be seen in the lower-resolution Viking and Mariner 9 images taken in 1972 and 1976-1980.The most important results thus far are illustrated in the four pictures above. Nearly 70% of the terrain examined follows two very simple, but unexpected "rules" -- (1) If the terrain appears rugged at the hundreds of meters to kilometers scale in a Viking or Mariner image, then it will appear smooth at the meter-scale in a MOC image. (2) If the terrain appears to be smooth in the Viking or Mariner image, it will be rough in the meter-scale MOC image.The image pair above illustrates the first "rule." MOC2-137a (left) shows a rugged plain in the martian southern cratered highlands near the Nepenthes Mensae. The small white box indicates the location of the MOC image, which is on the right (MOC2-137b). The MOC image reveals that while the terrain is rough at the large scale, it is quite smooth at the meter-scale.The Viking image shown here is illuminated from the upper right, while the MOC image is illuminated from the upper left. The MOC image was taken in April 1999, while the Viking image was obtained in the late 1970s. More details about this work are provided in an extended abstract (in Acrobat® PDF format) by M.C. Malin, K. S. Edgett, and T. J. Parker, "Characterization of terrain in the Mars Surveyor 2001 landing site latitude and elevation region using Mapping Phase Mars Global Surveyor MOC images," presented at the Second Mars Surveyor Landing Site Workshop, held June 22-23, 1999, in Buffalo, New York.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a portion of Coprates Catena, a shallow system of connecting depressions south of Coprates Chasma.

Context imageToday's VIS image shows a portion of Coprates Catena, a shallow system of connecting depressions south of Coprates Chasma.Orbit Number: 49612 Latitude: -15.2258 Longitude: 300.704 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-02-19 02:01 Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Dark slope streaks mark the rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey.

Context imageDark slope streaks mark the rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea.Orbit Number: 37588 Latitude: 10.8237 Longitude: 27.9699 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-06-05 08:00Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Vera Rubin Ridge,' a favored destination for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover even before the rover landed in 2012, rises near the rover nearly five years later in this panorama from Curiosity's Mastcam.

Figure 1Click on the image for larger version"Vera Rubin Ridge," a favored destination for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover even before the rover landed in 2012, rises near the rover nearly five years later in this panorama from Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam).The scene combines 23 images taken with the Mastcam's right-eye, telephoto-lens camera, on June 22, 2017, during the 1,734th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The rover began ascending the ridge in September 2017.This and other Mastcam panoramas show details of the sedimentary rocks that make up the "Vera Rubin Ridge." This distinct topographic feature located on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons) is characterized by the presence of hematite, an iron-oxide mineral, which has been detected from orbit. The Mastcam images show that the rocks making up the lower part of the ridge are characterized by distinct horizontal stratification with individual rock layers of the order of several inches (tens of centimeters) thick. Scientists on the mission are using such images to determine the ancient environment these rocks were deposited in. The repeated beds indicate progressive accumulation of sediments that now make up the lower part of Mount Sharp, although from this distance it is not possible to know if they were formed by aqueous or wind-blown processes. Close-up images collected as the rover climbs the ridge will help answer this question. The stratified rocks are cross cut by veins filled with a white mineral, likely calcium sulfate, that provide evidence of later episodes of fluid flow through the rocks.The panorama has been white-balanced so that the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. It spans about 65 compass degrees, centered toward the south-southeast. Higher portions of Mount Sharp are visible at upper left. The Sol 1734 location just north of the ridge is shown in a Sol 1732 traverse map. Figure 1 is an annotated version of the scene. On it, two scale bars of 4 meters (13.1 feet) provide size information for features near the bottom of the ridge and at the highest point visible on the ridge.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a ring of gullies encircling the top of the depression in this crater. This unnamed crater is located in southern Noachis Terra.

Context imageAt several locations in the southern hemisphere there are craters that have been filled with material almost to the top of the crater rim. What the material is and where it came from are still open questions, and may not even be the same process from crater to crater. In several of these filled craters there are canyon like features where the fill material has been removed or eroded. Sometimes the depressions parallel the crater rim, but in other cases the depression is in the center of the crater and is usually linear. A ring of gullies encircle the top of the depression in this crater. This unnamed crater is located in southern Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 74984 Latitude: -68.5481 Longitude: 1.57599 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-11-09 10:35Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a linear feature, part of Labeatis Fossae.

Context imageThe linear feature in this VIS image is part of Labeatis Fossae. Fossae are linear depressions, most often caused by extensional tectonic forces pulling the crust apart and allowing material to slide downward between bounding faults. This type of feature is called a graben. Looking closely at the center of this image, circular margins exist within the fossae. In regions of volcanic flows, such circular margins within a linear depression may be caused by roof collapse into an underlying void left by a lava tube. As this feature is located in the Tharsis volcanic region, it is likely that this feature was primarily created by volcanic collapse rather than tectonic stress.Orbit Number: 85955 Latitude: 22.6818 Longitude: 266.499 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-04-30 20:21Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on May 10, 2004 shows the martian surface during the southern summer season in Noachis Terra.

Released 10 May 2004This daytime visible color image was collected on May 18, 2003 during the Southern Spring season in Noachis Terra.The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the martian surface using its five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from the use of multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -74, Longitude 351.9 East (8.1 West). 38 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the summit of Olympus Mons on Mars.

Context image for PIA09996Olympus MonsThis VIS image was collected during the major Martian dust storm of 2007. The amount of dust filled atmosphere was thinner over the high altitude summits of the Tharsis volcanoes. This image shows the summit of Olympus Mons.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 18.0N, Longitude 227.4E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This anaglyph from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is of Victoria crater, looking north from 'Duck Bay' towards the dramatic promontory called 'Cape Verde.' 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

This view of Victoria crater is looking north from "Duck Bay" towards the dramatic promontory called "Cape Verde." The dramatic cliff of layered rocks is about 50 meters (about 165 feet) away from the rover and is about 6 meters (about 20 feet) tall. The taller promontory beyond that is about 100 meters (about 325 feet) away, and the vista beyond that extends away for more than 400 meters (about 1300 feet) into the distance. This is a red-blue stereo anaglyph generated from images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the rover's 952nd sol, or Martian day, (Sept. 28, 2006) using the camera's 430-nanometer filters.

This set of images from NASA's 1997 Mars Pathfinder mission highlight the dust devils that gust across the surface of Mars. The right image shows the dusty martian sky as our eye would see it.

This set of images from NASA's 1997 Pathfinder mission highlight the dust devils that gust across the surface of Mars. The right image shows the dusty martian sky as our eye would see it. The left image has been enhanced to expose the dust devils that lurk in the hazy sky. Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.

While driving eastward toward the northwestern flank of 'McCool Hill,' the wheels of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit churned up the largest amount of bright soil discovered so far in the mission. 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail.

While driving eastward toward the northwestern flank of "McCool Hill," the wheels of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit churned up the largest amount of bright soil discovered so far in the mission. This image from Spirit's panoramic camera (Pancam), taken on the rover's 788th Martian day, or sol, of exploration (March 22, 2006), shows the strikingly bright tone and large extent of the materials uncovered.Several days earlier, Spirit's wheels unearthed a small patch of light-toned material informally named "Tyrone." In images from Spirit's panoramic camera, "Tyrone" strongly resembled both "Arad" and "Paso Robles," two patches of light-toned soils discovered earlier in the mission. Spirit found "Paso Robles" in 2005 while climbing "Cumberland Ridge" on the western slope of "Husband Hill." In early January 2006, the rover discovered "Arad" on the basin floor just south of "Husband Hill." Spirit's instruments confirmed that those soils had a salty chemistry dominated by iron-bearing sulfates. Spirit's Pancam and miniature thermal emission spectrometer examined this most recent discovery, and researchers will compare its properties with the properties of those other deposits.These discoveries indicate that salty, light-toned soil deposits might be widely distributed on the flanks and valley floors of the "Columbia Hills" region in Gusev Crater on Mars. The salts, which are easily mobilized and concentrated in liquid solution, may record the past presence of water. So far, these enigmatic materials have generated more questions than answers, however, and as Spirit continues to drive across this region in search of a safe winter haven, the team continues to formulate and test hypotheses to explain the rover's most fascinating recent discovery.This stereo view combines images from the two blue (430-nanometer) filters in the Pancam's left and right "eyes." The image should be viewed using red-and-blue stereo glasses, with the red over your left eye.

Layers and Dark Debris in Melas Chasma

This HiRISE sub-image shows layering in a light-toned deposit in Melas Chasma. The layers are sedimentary in origin, but there are many processes that could have deposited them, such as volcanic airfall from explosive eruptions, dust-size particles settling out of the atmosphere due to cyclic changes, and deposition in standing bodies of water.By looking at the slopes in the layers and how the layers intersect each other, scientists can rule out various origins. A darker material can be seen covering much of the layered deposit. Some of this dark material is loose and can be seen accumulating as debris aprons at the base of steep slopes. Other dark material appears indurated and has been eroded by the wind to form etched edges with topographic expressions.The lack of impact craters on the layered deposit indicates that it is a relatively young deposit, or the craters have been removed by the wind, or the deposit was quickly buried and is now being exhumed.This HiRISE image is PSP_002419_1675.Observation GeometryAcquisition date: 1 January 2007Local Mars time: 3:43 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -11.4 °Degrees longitude (East): 287.6 °Range to target site: 263.5 km (164.7 miles) Original image scale range: 26.4 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~79 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 0.1 °Phase angle: 57.1 °Solar incidence angle: 57 °, with the Sun about 33 ° above the horizonSolar longitude: 176.2 °, Northern SummerNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a series of low, concentric ridges is located to the west of Arsia Mons. The origin of these features is unknown, and there are no similar features at the other Tharsis volcanoes.

Context imageA series of low, concentric ridges is located to the west of Arsia Mons. The origin of these features is unknown, and there are no similar features at the other Tharsis volcanoes.Orbit Number: 44758 Latitude: -3.11276 Longitude: 230.5 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-01-16 13:43Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a windstreak located on the Tharsis volcanic flows east of Arsia Mons.

Context imageThe windstreak at the top of this VIS image is located on the Tharsis volcanic flows east of Arsia Mons. Windstreaks form downwind of craters and other topographic highs. Surface winds are deflected by the crater rim into chaotic flow over and around the crater, both removing and depositing dust and sand.Orbit Number: 92626 Latitude: -12.0471 Longitude: 247.408 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-11-01 02:14Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image shows NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, on May 21, 2004. The rover was near the edge of 'Endurance Crater.'

This is the right-eye view of a stereo pair created from several frames from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. It is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection. The rover acquired these frames during its 115th martian day, or "sol," in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, on May 21, 2004. The rover was near the edge of "Endurance Crater," which dominates the right half of this view. The crater is about 130 meters (about 430 feet) in diameter. See PIA05985 for 3-D view and PIA05986 for left eye view of this right eye cylindrical-perspective projection.

This image, taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, shows the western wall of Uzboi Vallis near the intersection of the vallis and Holden Crater. Many channels dissect the wall of the channel.

Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis VIS image shows the western wall of Uzboi Vallis near the intersection of the vallis and Holden Crater. Many channels dissect the wall of the channel.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -27.2N, Longitude 324.6E. 20 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This unnamed crater in Terra Sirenum shows crater ejecta, as captured in this image by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Context imageToday's VIS image of an unnamed crater in Terra Sirenum shows crater ejecta.Orbit Number: 60139 Latitude: -38.4241 Longitude: 224.216 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-07-05 13:30Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows

17 May 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows low, broad sand dunes and sheets in southern Briault Crater near 10.1°S, 270.7°W. In this case, winds have swept up all available sand in Briault Crater, and moved it toward the south side of the basin. The wind streak pattern of these landforms indicates that the dominant winds blow from the north (top) toward the south. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left.

During a soil mechanics experiment, NASA's Mars Pathfinder rover Sojourner does a wheelie, lifting its front left wheel into the air.

During a soil mechanics experiment, the rover does a wheelie, lifting its front left wheel into the air. Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.

This artist's concept shows a close-up of NASA's Mars 2020 rover studying an outcrop. Mars 2020 will use powerful instruments to investigate rocks on Mars down to the microscopic scale of variations in texture and composition.

This artist's concept depicts NASA's Mars 2020 rover exploring Mars. The mission will not only seek out and study an area likely to have been habitable in the distant past, but it will take the next, bold step in robotic exploration of the Red Planet by seeking signs of past microbial life itself. Mars 2020 will use powerful instruments to investigate rocks on Mars down to the microscopic scale of variations in texture and composition. It will also acquire and store samples of the most promising rocks and soils that it encounters, and set them aside on the surface of Mars. A future mission could potentially return these samples to Earth. Mars 2020 is targeted for launch in July/August 2020 aboard an Atlas V-541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory builds and manages the Mars 2020 rover for the NASA Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/. Photojournal Note: Also available is the full resolution TIFF file PIA22111_full.tif. This file may be too large to view from a browser; it can be downloaded onto your desktop by right-clicking on the previous link and viewed with image viewing software.

The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, an instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, obtained information confirming material excavated by a fresh impact and Identified as water ice.

The bright material conspicuous in this image was excavated from below the surface and deposited nearby by a 2008 impact that dug a crater about 8 meters (26 feet) in diameter. The extent of the bright patch was large enough for the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, an instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, to obtain information confirming the material to be water ice.This image, covering an area 50 meters (164 feet) across, was taken on Nov. 1, 2008, by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on the same orbiter. The time frame for the crater-forming impact to have occurred was bracketed by before-and-after images (not shown) taken by the Thermal Emission Imaging System camera aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter on Jan. 26, 2008, and by the Context Camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Sept. 18, 2008.The crater is at 55.57 degrees north latitude, 150.62 degrees east longitude. This image is a subframe of a full-frame image that is available online at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_010625_2360.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a ridge near Pityusa Patera has collected sand along one side. During winter the dunes are covered with frost. As spring begins the dunes defrost and exhibit this spotty surface.

Context image for PIA09275Frosty DunesThis ridge near Pityusa Patera has collected sand along one side. During winter the dunes are covered with frost. As spring begins the dunes defrost and exhibit this spotty surface.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -66.3N, Longitude 39.4E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a lava channel on Mars located in the Tharsis Volcanic region, east of Alba Patera and north of Mareotis Fossae.

Context image for PIA11252Lava ChannelThe channel in this VIS image is located in the Tharsis Volcanic region, east of Alba Patera and north of Mareotis Fossae.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 38.3N, Longitude 269.6E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This NASA Mars Global Surveyor shows a wind streak created in the lee (downwind side) of a crater in far eastern Chryse Planitia. The winds responsible for the formation of the streak blew from the northeast to the southwest.

6 May 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a wind streak created in the lee -- the downwind side -- of a crater in far eastern Chryse Planitia. The winds responsible for the formation of the streak blew from the upper right (northeast) to the lower left (southwest).Location near: 21.5°N, 27.4°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Winter

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Claritas Fossae, a graben filled highland located between the lava plains of Daedalia Planum and Solis Planum.

Context imageLocated between the lava plains of Daedalia Planum and Solis Planum, Claritas Fossae is a graben filled highland. Graben are formed by tectonic activity, where extensional forces stretch the surface allowing blocks of material to slide down between paired faults. These linear grabens are termed fossae. This region of Mars had very active tectonism and volcanism, resulting in the huge volcanos like Arsia Mons and deep chasmata of Valles Marineris. Claritas Fossae was formed prior to the large lava flows of the Tharsis region.Orbit Number: 84439 Latitude: -41.4956 Longitude: 272.168 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-12-26 23:43Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (circular device in center), located on its instrument deployment device, or 'arm.'

This image taken at Meridiani Planum, Mars by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (circular device in center), located on its instrument deployment device, or "arm." The image was acquired on the ninth martian day or sol of the rover's mission.

This view from the Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander shows the trench informally named 'Snow White' after a series of scrapings were done in preparation for collecting a sample for analysis from a hard subsurface layer.

This view from the Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander shows the trench informally named "Snow White." This image was taken after a series of scrapings by the lander's Robotic Arm on the 58th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (July 23, 2008). The scrapings were done in preparation for collecting a sample for analysis from a hard subsurface layer where soil may contain frozen water. The trench is 4 to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) deep, about 23 centimeters (9 inches) wide and about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows linear depressions, part of Sirenum Fossae.

Context imageThe linear depressions in this VIS image are part of Sirenum Fossae. These depressions are called graben, which form by the down drop of material between two parallel faults. The faults are caused by tectonic stresses in the region. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long.Orbit Number: 82039 Latitude: -32.4137 Longitude: 205.574 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-06-12 09:36Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of both Dao Vallis and Niger Vallis.

Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small portion of both Dao Vallis (top of image) and Niger Vallis (middle of image). Arising from the volcano Hadriacus Mons, Dao Vallis is approximately 1200km (750 miles) long. Niger Vallis is 333 km (207 miles) long. It has been proposed that heating of the region due to volcanic activity melted subsurface ice which was released to the surface to carve the two channels. Niger Vallis merges with Dao Vallis just off the image and then flow southwestward into the Hellas Planitia basin.Orbit Number: 91427 Latitude: -36.3071 Longitude: 90.4526 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-07-25 09:32Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Viking Lander 2 captured this image of rocks nearby a large impact crater. Most rocks appear to have vesicles, or small holes, in them.

High-resolution photo of the Martian surface near the Viking Lander 2 shows a few square meters (yards) at one of the possible spots for acquiring a soil sample. The sample will be collected next Saturday (September 11) by the Lander's trenching scoop and delivered to the spacecraft instruments. The rock in the right foreground is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) across. Most rocks appear to have vesicles, or small holes, in them. Such rocks on Earth can be produced by either volcanic processes or by hypervelocity impacts of meteorites. Some areas are lighter than others, suggesting the presence of two kinds of fine-grained materials, which also can be produced by both volcanic and impact processes. A nearby large impact crater, named Mie, may be the source of the rocks and fine-grained material at the landing site.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used the MAHLI camera at the end of its arm in April and May 2014 to take dozens of component images combined into this self-portrait where the rover drilled into a sandstone target called 'Windjana.'

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used the camera at the end of its arm in April and May 2014 to take dozens of component images combined into this self-portrait where the rover drilled into a sandstone target called "Windjana." The camera is the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), which previously recorded portraits of Curiosity at two other important sites during the mission: "Rock Nest" (PIA16468) and "John Klein" (PIA16937).Winjana is within a science waypoint site called "The Kimberley," where sandstone layers with different degrees of resistance to wind erosion are exposed close together. The view does not include the rover's arm. It does include the hole in Windjana produced by the hammering drill on Curiosity's arm collecting a sample of rock powder from the interior of the rock. The hole is surrounded by grayish cuttings on top of the rock ledge to the left of the rover. The Mast Camera (Mastcam) atop the rover's remote sensing mast is pointed at the drill hole. A Mastcam image of the drill hole from that perspective is at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0626MR0026780000401608E01_DXXX&s=626. The hole is 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter. The rover's wheels are 20 inches (0.5 meter) in diameter.Most of the component frames of this mosaic view were taken during the 613th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (April 27, 2014). Frames showing Windjana after completion of the drilling were taken on Sol 627 (May 12, 2014). The hole was drilled on Sol 621 (May 5, 2014).MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.

The finely ridged material in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are huge landslide deposits called Coprates Labes. These landslide deposits are located on the floor of Coprates Chasma.

Context imageThe finely ridged material in this VIS image are huge landslide deposits called Coprates Labes. These landslide deposits are located on the floor of Coprates Chasma.Orbit Number: 49450 Latitude: -11.7442 Longitude: 292.003 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-02-05 18:02Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the martian south polar residual cap, acquired in March 2002, at the peak of a southern summer.

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-384, 7 June 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle camera view of the martian south polar residual cap was acquired in March 2002, at the peak of the last southern summer. The ice at the surface of this summertime cap is mostly composed of carbon dioxide. The picture covers an area about 600 km (373 mi) wide near 90.0°S. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower right. Compare the view shown here with the appearance of the cap 1 Mars year earlier in April 2000 by visiting: MOC2-225, 27 April 2000, "South Polar Cap, Summer 2000".

The network of channels seen in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft is called Arda Valles.

Context imageThis network of channels is called Arda Valles.Orbit Number: 41085 Latitude: -20.1744 Longitude: 327.133 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-03-20 05:00Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover imaged these drifting clouds on May 17, 2019, the 2,410th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, using its Navigation Cameras (Navcams).

Click here for animationNASA's Curiosity Mars rover imaged these drifting clouds on May 17, 2019, the 2,410th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, using its black-and-white Navigation Cameras (Navcams).These are likely water-ice clouds about 19 miles (31 kilometers) above the surface. They are also "noctilucent" clouds, meaning they are so high that they are still illuminated by the Sun, even when it's night at Mars' surface. Scientists can watch when light leaves the clouds and use this information to infer their altitude.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.

This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows dunes on the floor of Herschel Crater. Steep faces ('slipfaces') are oriented downwind, in the direction of motion of the dunes. A dune-free area downwind of the crater is seen at the image center.

This image shows dunes on the floor of Herschel Crater. The steep faces ("slipfaces") are oriented downwind, in the direction of motion of the dunes. One feature of particular interest is the dune-free area downwind of the crater at the image center. Some sand has been trapped in the crater, but the crater prevents the dunes from migrating directly downwind.Sand dunes form naturally as a result of the transport of sand by the wind. The dunes in this image are somewhat crescent-shaped, but are being extended and distorted downwind and merging with nearby dunes; this complex behavior is common in dune fields on Earth.In the southern part of the image the sand lies in sheets rather than well-defined dunes. At high resolution, the dune surfaces are covered in small ripples and scallops, also shaped by the wind.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.Originally released May 30, 2007

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of Lyot Crater, including a field of dunes.

Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of the floor of Lyot Crater, including a field of dunes. At 236 km diameter (146 miles), Lyot Crater is one of the largest craters in the northern hemisphere of Mars. Lyot is a double ringed crater, and these dunes are located in the outer of the two rings.Orbit Number: 78663 Latitude: 49.286 Longitude: 29.6703 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-09-08 10:31Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows detailed texture of a rock target called 'Yellowjacket' on Mars' Mount Sharp.

This image from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows detailed texture of a rock target called "Yellowjacket" on Mars' Mount Sharp. This was the first rock target for ChemCam after checkout of restored capability for autonomous focusing.The image covers a patch of rock surface about 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) across. It was taken on May 15, 2015, during the mission's 986th Martian day, or sol. ChemCam's Remote Micro-Imager camera, on top of Curiosity's mast, captured the image from a distance of about 8 feet (2.4 meters). ChemCam also hit the target with laser pulses and recorded spectrographic information from the resulting flashes to reveal the chemical composition.Yellowjacket, located near an area called "Logan Pass" on lower Mount Sharp, is a layered sedimentary rock. The laser analysis yielded a composition very close to that of Mars soil and unlike the lakebed sedimentary compositions observed at lower elevations earlier in the mission. The soil-like composition may indicate that the rock formed from sediment transported by wind, rather than by water. ChemCam is one of 10 instruments in Curiosity's science payload. The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed ChemCam in partnership with scientists and engineers funded by the French national space agency (CNES), the University of Toulouse and the French national research agency (CNRS). More information about ChemCam is available at http://www.msl-chemcam.com/. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl.

Aureum Chaos is a large crater that was filled with sediment after its formation. This image was captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft in November 2003.

Released 11 November 2003Aureum Chaos is a large crater that was filled with sediment after its formation. After the infilling of sediment, something occurred that caused the sediment to be broken up into large, slumped blocks and smaller knobs. Currently, it is believed that the blocks and knobs form when material is removed from the subsurface, creating void space. Subsurface ice was probably heated, and the water burst out to the surface, maybe forming a temporary lake. Other areas of chaos terrain have large outflow channels that emanate from them, indicating that a tremendous amount of water was released.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -3.2, Longitude 331 East (29 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor captured this image of the Mars Terra Meridiana region showing layered material exposed in cliffs, buttes, and mesas that in some ways resemble the rock outcrops of northern Arizona and southeastern Utah in North America.

Northern Terra Meridiani, near the intersection of the martian equator and prime meridian, is a region of vast exposures of layered rock. A thermal image from the Phobos 2 orbiter in 1989 showed these materials to be anomalously cool during the daytime, an observation very suggestive of dense, hardened materials like rock. Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images of this region show layered material exposed in cliffs, buttes, and mesas that in some ways resemble the rock outcrops of northern Arizona and southeastern Utah in North America (e.g., Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Zion National Park, Four Corners). MGS MOC Extended Mission operations have included several hundred opportunities for the spacecraft to be rolled off-nadir (i.e., at an angle other than "straight down") to take pictures that repeat earlier MOC coverage. These repeat images, because they are taken from a different angle, can be combined with the original picture to produce a stereoscopic ("3-D") view. The image shown here is a composite of two pictures, the first taken October 23, 2000, the second acquired by pointing the spacecraft off-nadir on May 15, 2001. This view shows four buttes and a pinnacle (near left-center) composed of eroded, layered rock. The four buttes are each capped by the remains of a single layer of rock that is harder than the materials beneath it. It is the presence of this cap rock that has permitted these buttes to remain standing after surrounding materials were eroded away. Like the buttes of Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation on the Arizona/Utah border, these are believed to consist of sedimentary rocks, perhaps deposited in water or by wind, though some scientists have speculated that they could be made of thick accumulations of volcanic ash. The image covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the left. To see the image in 3-D, red (left-eye) and blue (right-eye) "3-D" glasses are required.

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. Data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Oenotria Scopuli, which is the cliff boundary.

Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Oenotria Scopuli, which is the cliff boundary in the lower half of the image.Orbit Number: 8836 Latitude: -8.219 Longitude: 81.3404 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2003-12-11 21:32Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a sand dune field in the Nili Fossae region of Mars. The dark lines swirling over the surface of the dunes are the tracks of dust devils.

This observation shows a sand dune field in the Nili Fossae region of Mars. The dark lines swirling over the surface of the dunes are the tracks of dust devils.Dust devils are whirlwinds that pick up the light colored dust on the surface as they move around in odd patterns. The lines visible on the dunes are the dark sand left behind when the surface layer of dust has been removed.This area was previously imaged in August 2009, about two Mars years ago, and in that image dust devil tracks were also visible. However, the tracks visible now are completely different from the earlier ones. This tells us that there has been at least one dust storm since then to erase the old tracks, and lots of dust devil activity to create the new ones.We can also see dark linear streaks going down the slopes of the dunes. These features are caused by some sort of flow down the slope of the dune which strips away the light surface layer of dust. In 2009, similar streaks were observed on the slopes of the dunes; however, they were different from the ones which are observed now. Thus, the flows which are causing these streaks are still active today.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

This image has a cracked plateau of material next to a low region of interconnected small ridges. This region is located at the northwestern end of Gordii Dorsum on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Context image for PIA08445Ridges and CracksThis image has a cracked plateau of material next to a low region of interconnected small ridges. This region is located at the northwestern end of Gordii Dorsum.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 11.0N, Longitude 212.0E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the sinuous margin of a dust-covered, ridged lava flow in southern Daedalia Planum, Mars.

22 June 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the sinuous margin of a dust-covered, ridged lava flow in southern Daedalia Planum, Mars. The ridges on the flow formed by compression as the surface of the lava flow cooled and began to harden before the molten material of interior solidified. Note that the surface to the south (toward the bottom of the image) of the lava flow margin is more heavily cratered than the flow surface; this observation is consistent with the superposition relationship between the younger lava flow and older substrate.Location near: 25.9°S, 128.7°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Autumn

The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Nili Fossae.

Context imageThe THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Nili Fossae.Orbit Number: 18769 Latitude: 24.4981 Longitude: 80.0511 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2006-03-08 19:01Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a crater found on Hesperia Planum on Mars. This crater was formed by the impact and explosion of a meteorite at some time in the martian past.

During the first week of May 1999, the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) spent sometime peering into martian impact craters.This crater is found on Hesperia Planum and is 7.3 kilometers (4.5 miles) across. Illumination is from the upper left.If you have ever visited the famous Meteor Crater in northern Arizona, U.S.A., then you are aware of its immense size on a human scale. The Arizona crater, however, is only 1 kilometer across (0.62 miles), this crater is seven times wider.This crater was formed by the impact and explosion of a meteorite at some time in the martian past. After the crater formed, it was modified by wind and erosion. The crater shows deposits of sand and dust on the floor and in low areas around their rim, also boulders and other debris that has slid down the inside walls of the crater; and some crater walls show exposures of bedrock.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows linear features called Oti Fossae. Oti Fossae is located on the eastern flank of Arsia Mons.

Context imageThe linear features in the bottom half of this VIS image are called Oti Fossae. Oti Fossae is located on the eastern flank of Arsia Mons and aligns with the regional northeast/southwest trend of the major Tharsis volcanoes. Fossae are typically tectonic features termed graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. The crustal deformation in this region was from the inflation of the surface by the rise of magma that created the Tharsis volcanoes.Arsia Mons is the southernmost and youngest of the three large, aligned Tharsis volcanoes [Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons and Ascreaus Mons, from south to north]. This alignment may indicate a large fracture/vent system was responsible for the eruptions that formed all three volcanoes. Arsia Mons is 270 miles (450km) in diameter, almost 12 miles (20km) high, and the summit caldera is 72 miles (120km) wide. For comparison, the largest volcano on Earth is Mauna Loa. From its base on the sea floor, Mauna Loa measures only 6.3 miles high and 75 miles in diameter.Orbit Number: 94404 Latitude: -8.85515 Longitude: 242.188 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-03-27 12:39Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in September 2003, showing a crater on Mars along the southeast rim of the Hellas Basin,hosting an eroded layered deposit like many of the neighboring craters.

Released 9 September 2003Along the southeast rim of the Hellas Basin, a 27 km diameter crater hosts an eroded layered deposit like many of the neighboring craters. Compared to the weirdly-shaped remnants of the deposit in the adjacent Spallanzani Crater, the layers in this image are more subdued. It is not clear why material deposited into and eroded from two craters so close together would appear so different.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -57.6, Longitude 84.7 East (275.3 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the end of a small channel near Athabasca Valles on Mars. Athabasca is an example of a Martian 'outflow channel,' likely carved by a massive flood of groundwater.

This image shows the end of a small channel near Athabasca Valles on Mars. Athabasca is an example of a Martian "outflow channel," likely carved by a massive flood of groundwater. However, it is now coated with a thin veneer of lava, following a massive volcanic eruption that flowed down the channel.This smaller channel is also covered by the same lava flow. It might have originally been carved by water and later draped by lava that partially drained away, but it is also possible that hot, swift lava cut down into the ground. In either case, the reason a channel formed here is the ridge running across the image. Once fluid reached the top of this ridge, flow was concentrated there and carved a deeper channel.The upstream half of the channel is visible in PSP_008265_1860. HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a crater on northern Elysium Planitia on Mars, a little more than twice the diameter of the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona, U.S.A. It formed by the impact and subsequent explosion of a meteorite.

This crater on northern Elysium Planitia is a little more than twice the diameter of the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona, U.S.A. It formed by the impact and subsequent explosion of a meteorite. Picture from MOC in July 1998.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows

10 January 2004 While it is summer in Gusev Crater, where the Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, is operating, it is winter in the martian northern hemisphere. Just this week, the north polar dune fields began to emerge into sunlight after months of frigid darkness. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) view of frost-covered north polar dunes was acquired on 8 January 2004. The steepest slopes on the dunes--their slipfaces--point toward the upper right (northeast), indicating that the dominant winds responsible for their formation came from the opposite direction (lower left, southwest). Sunlight illuminates these dunes from the lower left, which may seem surprising because the brightest slopes on the dunes face the lower right. The brighter slopes are a frost phenomenon; most likely, these are areas with thicker frost deposits. In summer, the dunes would not have frost and would appear much darker than their surroundings. This early view of north polar dunes in winter is located near 75.8°N, 266.3°W. This view covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide.

The green diamond shows approximately where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars, a region about 2 kilometers northeast of its target in the center of the estimated landing region (blue ellipse).

The green diamond shows approximately where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars, a region about 2 kilometers northeast of its target in the center of the estimated landing region (blue ellipse). The location of the diamond is based on Earth-based navigation data taken prior to Curiosity's entry into the Martian atmosphere, as well as data taken by the rover's navigation instruments during descent.

he western-most mound of the discontinuous deposit of Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) shows a style of erosion different from the typical in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft in October 2003.

Released 10 October 2003The western-most mound of the discontinuous deposit of Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) shows a style of erosion different from the typical. The MFF commonly displays a range of yardang features, the boat hull shaped ridges that result from wind erosion, like those seen in a previous THEMIS image (Yardangs in Medusa Fossae). The current image shows no obvious yardangs and instead shows pits and troughs that appear to be due to collapse rather than wind erosion.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 2.6, Longitude 139.7 East (220.3 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created from images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired May 8, 2004.The rover was on its way to the 'Columbia Hills,' which can be seen on the horizon.

This cylindrical-projection view was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 124 (May 9, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view as it gets closer to the "Columbia Hills."

The panorama is made up of 60 images from the MAHLI camera on the rover's robotic arm along with 11 images from the Mastcam on the mast of the rover.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used two different cameras to create this selfie in front of Mont Mercou, a rock outcrop that stands 20 feet (6 meters) tall. The panorama is made up of 60 images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the rover's robotic arm on March 26, 2021, the 3070th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. These were combined with 11 images taken by the Mastcam on the mast, or "head," of the rover on March 16, 2021, the 3,060th Martian day of the mission.The hole visible to the left of the rover is where its robotic drill sampled a rock nicknamed "Nontron." The Curiosity team is nicknaming features in this part of Mars using names from the region around the village of Nontron in southwestern France.Curiosity was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA. JPL manages Curiosity's mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.For more about Curiosity, visit mars.nasa.gov/msl/home/ or nasa.gov/msl.

This unnamed as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft channel drains part of Margaritifer Terra.

Context imageThis unnamed channel drains part of Margaritifer Terra.Orbit Number: 43930 Latitude: -12.4316 Longitude: 345.719 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-11-09 10:11Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This May 12, 2014, view from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover shows the rock target 'Windjana' and its immediate surroundings after inspection of the site by the rover by drilling and other activities.

This view from the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover shows the rock target "Windjana" and its immediate surroundings after inspection of the site by the rover. The drilling of a test hole and a sample collection hole produced the mounds of drill cuttings that are less red than the other visible surfaces. This is material that the drill pulled up from the interior of the rock.This view is from the 627th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (May 12, 2004).The open hole from sample collection is 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter. It was drilled on Sol 621 (May 5, 2014). A preparatory "mini drill" hole, to lower right from the open hole, was drilled on Sol 615 (April 29, 2014) and subsequently filled in with cuttings from the sample collection drilling. Two small patches of less-red color to the right of the drill holes are targets "Stephen" (higher) and "Neil," where multiple laser hits by Curiosity's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument blasted some of the reddish surface dust off the surface of the rock.The vigorous activity of penetrating the rock with the rover's hammering drill also resulted in slides of loose material near the rock. For comparison to the site before the drilling, see the Sol 609 image of Windjana at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18087.MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.

Clovis' in Color

Figure 1This approximate true-color image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock outcrop dubbed "Clovis." The rock was discovered to be softer than other rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater after the rover easily ground a hole into it with its rock abrasion tool. This image was taken by the 750-, 530- and 480-nanometer filters of the rover's panoramic camera on sol 217 (August 13, 2004).Elemental Trio Found in 'Clovis'Figure 1 above shows that the interior of the rock dubbed "Clovis" contains higher concentrations of sulfur, bromine and chlorine than basaltic, or volcanic, rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater. The data were taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer after the rover dug into Clovis with its rock abrasion tool. The findings might indicate that this rock was chemically altered, and that fluids once flowed through the rock depositing these elements.

The image on the left is a computer-generated model of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander at Gusev Crater. On right is an actual image of the lander on Mars taken Jan. 19, 2004, by the camera onboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor.

The image on the left is a computer-generated model of Spirit's lander at Gusev Crater as engineers and scientists would have expected to see it from a perfect overhead view. The background is a reprojected image taken by the Spirit panoramic camera on Sol 19 (Jan. 21-22, 2004). The picture on the right is an actual image of the lander on Mars taken Jan. 19, 2004, by the camera on board Mars Global Surveyor. The tops of both images face north.

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows eroded, light-toned layered rock outcrops on the side of a large mound in Ganges Chasma, part of the vast Valles Marineris trough system on Mars.

21 December 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows eroded, light-toned layered rock outcrops on the side of a large mound in Ganges Chasma, part of the vast Valles Marineris trough system. Perhaps a testament to the inherent human (and primate) ability to pick out faces where partially hidden from view (even when a face is not really there) -- near the top of this picture are two features, each a product of erosion, resembling a pair of human eyes. This picture was acquired in late November 2005.Location near: 7.1°S, 49.4°W Image width: width: 0.55 km (~0.3 mi) Illumination from: left/lower left Season: Southern Summer

This image taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows that polar regions of Mars have surfaces than can show dark spots on a brighter background. These surfaces are informally called 'dalmatian terrain' because of their appearance.

Released 10 June 2003The polar regions of Mars have surfaces than can show dark spots on a brighter background. These surfaces are informally called "dalmatian terrain" because of their appearance. This image shows this type of terrain in a valley within the southern polar layered deposits, not too far from the south polar cap. Elsewhere, defrosting dunes have shown a similar spotted pattern. Perhaps this "dalmatian terrain" is a distinctive pattern that forms over all defrosting patches of sand.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -70.7, Longitude 354.2 East (5.8 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image, taken on Nov. 30, 2010, by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a Mars dust tower, a concentrated cloud of dust that can be lofted dozens of miles above the surface.

The yellow-white cloud in the bottom-center of this image is a Mars "dust tower" — a concentrated cloud of dust that can be lofted dozens of miles above the surface. The blue-white plumes are water vapor clouds. Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, is visible in the upper left corner, while Valles Marineris can be seen in the lower right.Heat-sensitive instruments like the Mars Climate Sounder, carried aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), can map the formation of these dust towers, which form almost continuously during global dust storms. Taken on Nov. 30, 2010, the image was produced by MRO's Mars Color Imager (MARCI), which was built and is operated by Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft.

Bosporus Planum, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, is located in a region of smooth plains that appear to have formed from lava flows.

(Released 18 April 2002)The ScienceThis THEMIS image is of Bosporus Planum, located in a region of smooth plains that appear to have formed from lava flows. A crater, ~7 km in diameter, on the left edge of the image has produced an ejecta blanket that can be seen radiating from the crater. Lobes of ejecta such as those seen close to the crater rim are not formed at most typical craters and may indicate that there was a ice component in the sub-surface material when the impact occurred. A linear depression trending from the northwest to southeast along the top of the image is about 1 to 2 km wide. This may be a tectonic feature, known as a graben, that forms when a region is under stresses that are pulling it apart. There are numerous small bright dunes or ripples along the margins of the floor of this linear feature that have formed perpendicular to the sides of the graben. This pattern of ripples suggests that the wind was blowing down the graben canyon. Similar small bright dunes can be faintly seen on top of the crater ejecta along ridges (most apparent directly to the east of the crater) and along the southern margin of the interior deposits in the crater. Bright wind streaks are also apparent in this area to the west (right) of several large craters. These streaks likely formed when very small particle size materials (like dust) is deposited on the surface and then protected from removal by the wind shadow produced by the crater's rim. Shorter dark streaks, possible deposits of dark sand, have formed to the east side of the smaller craters. These streaks on opposite sides of craters may indicate that there have been different wind patterns in the area, blowing in opposite directions. Subtle ridges near the south end of the image hint that there may have been other graben that have been nearly filled in. Many of the craters in this image have a subdued, buried appearance and may have been partially filled by lava flows or mantled by dust.A short geologic history of the area in this image can be created using the basic principles of geology, such as the principle of superposition (deposits that lie on top of other materials are younger). The linear depression must have formed after the deposition of the lava plains since it is a feature that would not have been otherwise preserved. Ejecta from the large crater has been deposited inside and over the edges of the linear depression, thus the crater must have formed after the linear depression. Finally, the bright dunes and dust streaks formed last because they have been deposited on top of all of these different features. The StorySplat! Take a look at the lumpy edge of the large crater half (left-hand side of the image) and compare it to the much neater rims of other craters in the region. Why is there such a difference? Scientists believe that when something hit the surface of Mars long ago, ice may have been present in the subsurface and was "regurgitated" upward into the Martian air along with dirt and rock, "splooshing" outward. When that happened, the mixed-up, ejected material created a wavering, batter-like edge that is not typical for most (ice-free) craters. More ejected material from this same impact radiates much farther out from the crater, giving it a vague, sun-like appearance.Many of the small craters in this image appear much fainter and more subdued than the others. Their ghostly appearance may be due to a lava flow that smoothed out most of the terrain in this image, partially burying them . . . . Or???? Maybe it was a layer of dust that settled in this region to accomplish the same concealed look.And what about that scar-like trek that cuts through the upper third of the image? It's an elongated fault created when a crust-breaking, tectonic force ripped apart the Martian terrain, leaving a long depression on the surface. This feature is called a graben, and we find them on Earth too (think of Death Valley, the lowest dry land in the United States, or the Jordan Dead Sea depression). The graben's rumpled, scar-like appearance is only enhanced by the stitchy-looking sand dunes that run down its sides. This dune pattern shows that the Martian wind probably blew down through the graben canyon to create their ruffled appearance.The wind doesn't have its way everywhere, though. The brighter surface material on the western side of the two diagonally positioned smaller craters is probably a layer of dust that has been shielded from removal by the craters' higher rims. Dark streaks (possibly dark sand) on the opposite side of these craters reveal that the wind has been blowing to no avail in the opposite direction too.So, think that explains everything in this image? Here's a quick geology quiz! Which features happened first? The dunes, the lava plains, the big crater, or the linear depression called a graben? To find out if you're right, check out the last paragraph in The Science caption. Hint! Whatever happened later has to be on top of whatever came before.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on March 9, 2004 shows Mars' south pole during the southern summer season with an appearance similar to swiss cheese and representing surface ice loss.

Released 9 March 2004The Odyssey spacecraft has completed a full Mars year of observations of the red planet. For the next several weeks the Image of the Day will look back over this first mars year. It will focus on four themes: 1) the poles - with the seasonal changes seen in the retreat and expansion of the caps; 2) craters - with a variety of morphologies relating to impact materials and later alteration, both infilling and exhumation; 3) channels - the clues to liquid surface flow; and 4) volcanic flow features. While some images have helped answer questions about the history of Mars, many have raised new questions that are still being investigated as Odyssey continues collecting data as it orbits Mars.This image was collected December 29, 2003 during the southern summer season. This image shows the surface texture that the ice cap develops after long term sun exposure. The central portion of the image has an appearance similar to swiss cheese and represents surface ice loss.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 86.9, Longitude 356.4 East (3.6 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Northern Plains

Image PSP_001377_2475 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 11, 2006. The complete image is centered at 67.2 degrees latitude, 273.6 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 313.1 km (195.7 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~94 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:05 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 58 degrees, thus the sun was about 32 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 133.9 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo.

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows sand sheets in two unnamed craters located in Noachis Terra.

Context imageThis VIS image shows sand sheets in two unnamed craters located in Noachis Terra. Both sand sheets have dune forms on the surface of the sand sheet. These craters are close to Matara Crater, which also contains a large sand sheet with surface dune forms.Orbit Number: 84572 Latitude: -48.5416 Longitude: 34.0463 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-01-06 22:34Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small portion of Olympia Undae, a huge dune field that surrounds part of the north polar cap. This image was taken during summer and there is no frost on the dune forms.

Context image Today's VIS image shows a small portion of Olympia Undae, a huge dune field that surrounds part of the north polar cap. This image was taken during summer and there is no frost on the dune forms.Orbit Number: 71398 Latitude: 80.9837 Longitude: 139.963 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-01-18 01:56Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This image acquired on December 27, 2022 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a small crater that appears to be partly-filled by deposits that have flowed into, and around it.

Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionPlanetary scientists look for targets that help them better understand the area they are interested in. In this particular image, there is a small (1 kilometer, or 0.6 mile, wide) crater that appears to be partly-filled by deposits that have flowed into, and around it.With this observation, scientists can learn more about the nature of these deposits. The crater offers an opportunity to gain more information about the flowing behavior of these deposits and their thickness given that the crater size can be used to estimate its depth. This provides insight into the thickness of the deposits partly filling it.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 55.5 centimeters [21.9 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 166 centimeters [65.4 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.This is a stereo pair with ESP_076823_1475.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on Dec 12, 2003 shows enigmatic gullies, dark barchan sand dunes and numerous dust devil tracks. This image is in the Noachis region of the heavily cratered southern hemisphere.

Released 12 December 2003Man, there sure is a lot going on here! This image was acquired during the peak of the late October record breaking solar storm outbursts. The white dots in this image were in fact caused when the charged particles from the sun hit our camera. One can also see the enigmatic gullies, dark barchan sand dunes and numerous dust devil tracks. This image is in the Noachis region of the heavily cratered southern hemisphere.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -42.1, Longitude 328.2 East (31.8 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.