HiRISE Updates Week of 2018 Apr 30

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bystander
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HiRISE Updates Week of 2018 Apr 30

Post by bystander » Wed May 02, 2018 4:42 pm

Alfred McEwen wrote:

Bedrock on a Crater Floor (ESP_054644_1555)

This enhanced color image shows eroded bedrock on the floor of a large ancient crater.
Alfred McEwen wrote:

Channeled Southern Highlands (ESP_054669_1690)

This enhanced color image shows the heavily channeled and ancient southern highlands of Mars. The elongated and jagged features are windblown dunes, perhaps hardened and eroded.
Alfred McEwen wrote:

Colorful Layers in Ariadnes Colles (ESP_054667_1450)

This image shows bedrock layers of diverse colors and composition.
Alfred McEwen wrote:

Exploring Meridiani Planum (ESP_054673_1810)

The Opportunity rover has spent 13 years exploring a small region of Meridiani Planum which has a rather ordinary appearance.

Other portions of Meridiani are much more interesting, with well-exposed layered bedrock eroded into strange patterns.

NB: HiRISE has not been allowed to acquire off-nadir targeted observations for a couple of months due to MRO spacecraft issues, so many high-priority science objectives are on hold. What can be usefully accomplished in nadir mode is sampling of various terrains. Especially interesting are bedrock exposures, which provide information about the geologic history of Mars.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

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