HiRISE Updates (2015 Jun 17)

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bystander
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HiRISE Updates (2015 Jun 17)

Post by bystander » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:44 am

HIRISE Science Team wrote:

Active High-Latitude Dune-Gullies (ESP_039701_1095) (HiClip)

Gully and defrosting activity have been visible here along the edge of a dune field, along with blocks of frost. Observations of the same area help us check for repeat activity, as well as measuring those meter-scale blocks that we’ve seen prior.

In this case, we want to compare any possible changes with a previous observation, which we acquired in 2011. We've also seen images where carbon dioxide frost was the driving process in creating new gullies, so we know their formation is occurring to this day. Tracking for changes, especially when we look at the 1-kilometer enhanced color swath, can help us find more.
HIRISE Science Team wrote:

A Light Toned Deposit in Aureum Chaos (ESP_039708_1765) (HiClip)

The objective of this observation is to examine a light-toned deposit in a region of what is called “chaotic terrain.”

There are indications of layers in the image. Some shapes suggest erosion by a fluid moving north and south. The top of the light-toned deposit appears rough, in contrast to the smoothness of its surroundings.

This area is also in a Context Camera image (P04_002536_1757).
HIRISE Science Team wrote:

A Fan-Shaped Landform and Nearby Light-Toned Material (ESP_039731_1580) (HiClip)

The focus of this image is on the western end of a fan-shaped landform, located at the end point of a sinuous valley.

Our observation covers crater-retaining mesas which overlie light-toned materials, both potentially related to the formation of the fan. There are also craters younger than the fan which impacted into these materials.
Matthew Chojnacki wrote:

Cloudy Skies over Hypanis Vallis (ESP_040579_1920) (HiClip)

This observation shows a candidate 2018 European Space Agency ExoMars landing site in Hypanis Vallis. Instead of imaging ancient fluvial deposits (thought to be the remnants of a delta feed lake), the image shows patchy concentrations of dust clouds.

These clouds are part of the annually occurring Acidalia storm track, a regional dust storm system that originates in the Acidalia-Chryse-Kasei region and propagates southward into equatorial Valles Marineris and beyond. While this image is only partially obscured by dust, many others captured around this time frame were completely dominated by think clouds of dust. For example, this image in Capri Chasma was rendered useless for geology and will have to be reacquired.

Landing by the ExoMars rover in these kinds of atmospheric conditions would be complicated. That mission is set to touchdown on Mars in January 2019, hopefully with clear skies. HiRISE will continue to image Hypanis Vallis and other interesting sites on Mars despite the changing weather.

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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owlice
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Re: HiRISE Updates (2015 Jun 17)

Post by owlice » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:26 pm

The first one of this intriguing set looks multi-layered, as though there is a translucent glass on top of the planet.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

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