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24.07.2009
HRSC Press Release #439 - Maadim Vallis (orbit 6393)
Perspective view [1] |
On 24 December 2008 the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), under the leadership of the Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. Gerhard Neukum of Freie Universitaet Berlin, onboard the ESA spacecraft Mars Express obtained image data in orbit 6393 with a ground resolution of approximately 15 meters per pixel. The data were acquired in the region south-east of Ma'adim Vallis at approximately 29° southern latitude and 182° eastern longitude.
Context Map [2] |
Ma'adim Vallis ist neben den berühmten Valles Marineris einer der größten Canyons auf dem Mars. Er liegt zwischen der Vulkanregion Tharsis und dem Einschlagbecken Hellas Planitia. Mit einer Breite von bis zu 20 Kilometern schneidet sich der Canyon beginnend im südlichen Hochland nahe der Dichotomiegrenze bis zu 2 Kilometer tief in die Marsoberfläche ein und mündet schließlich in den Gusev Krater. Der Bildausschnitt ist etwa 138 Kilometer x 70 Kilometer groß. Mit einer Fläche von ca. 9660 km² entspricht das der Größe von Zypern. Die Abbildung zeigt einen südöstlich von Ma'adim Vallis gelegenen Teil der Region.
Ma'adim Vallis is besides Valles Marineris one of the largest canyons on Mars. Located between the volcanic region Tharsis and the Hellas Planitia impact basin, the canyon originates in the southern highlands close to the dichotomy boundary and ends in the Gusev crater. Ma'adim Valles up to 20 kilometers wide and cuts up to 2 kilometers deep into the Martian crust. The image was acquired south-east of Ma'adim Vallis. Extending over an area of 138 Kilometers x 70 Kilometers, the image exhibits an area of 9660 km² which is roughly the size of Cyprus.
Color-coded elevation model [3] |
Etwa in der Bildmitte ist entlang einer deutlich sichtbaren Grenze der Übergang von dunklem Material im Westen der Region zu hellerem Material im unteren Bildteil zu erkennen (1). Vermutlich handelt es hier um die Grenze eines basaltischen Lavastroms, einer sogenannten „Lava Flow Front”. Deutlich sind auf der Oberfläche der Lavadecke sogenannte „wrinkle ridges” zu erkennen. Die Umstände, die zur Bildung solcher „wrinkle ridges” führen, sind noch umstritten. Aber sie sind vermutlich zurückzuführen auf Kompressionsprozesse in der oberen Kruste. Ausströmende Lava kann auch auf der Erde sehr große Flächen überfluten. So bedecken die Dekkan-Trapps in Indien eine Fläche von ca. 500.000 km², das entspricht etwa der Größe Frankreichs.
Feature Map [4] |
Nadir Image [5] |
RGB Colour Image [6] |
Red-cyan anaglyph [7] |
A linear feature divides the image almost in the center (3). Most likely this over 200 kilometers long structure is a trough. It is still debated what processes led to its formation, probably it is related to the uprising of the volcanic region Tharsis which is located to the north-east of the trough. The uprising induced a lot of stress to the planets crust which was released by the formation of fracture zones.
Perspective view #2 [8] |
The colour scene have been derived from the three HRSC-colour channels and the nadir channel. The perspective views have been calculated from the digital terrain model derived from the stereo channels. The anaglyph image was calculated from the nadir and one stereo channel. The black and white high resolution image was derived from the nadir channel which provides the highest detail of all channels.
Perspective view #3 [9] |
The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) experiment on the ESA Mars Express Mission is led by the Principal Investigator (PI) Prof. Dr. Gerhard Neukum who also designed the camera technically. The science team of the experiment consists of 40 Co-Investigators from 33 institutions and 10 nations. The camera was developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) under the leadership of the PI G. Neukum and built in cooperation with industrial partners (EADS Astrium, Lewicki Microelectronic GmbH and Jena-Optronik GmbH). The experiment on Mars Express is operated by the DLR Institute of Planetary Research, through ESA/ESOC. The systematic processing of the HRSC image data is carried out at DLR. The scenes shown here were created by the PI-group at the Institute for Geological Sciences of the Freie Universitaet Berlin in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin.
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hochaufgelöste Bilddaten / high resolution image data
Context Map [2]: |
Color-coded elevation model [3]: |
Feature Map [4]: |
Nadir Image [5]: |
RGB Colour Image [6]: |
Red-cyan anaglyph [7]: |
Perspective view [1]: |
Perspective view #2 [8]: |
Perspective view #3 [9]: |
© Copyright: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)