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03.06.2011
HRSC Press Release #509 - Ulyxis Rupes (orbit 8995)
Perspective view [1] |
On 15 January 2011 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 8995 with a ground resolution of approximately 49 meters per pixel. The data were acquired in the region Ulyxis Rupes at approximately 72° southern latitude and 162° eastern longitude. The scenes shown here were created at the Department of Planetary Sciences and Remote Sensing, at the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Freie Universitaet Berlin.
Context Map [2] |
Ulyxis Rupes is the only named morphological feature in the shown Mars-sequence. It is a classic albedo feature, which was also named by E. M. Antoniadi. Rupes is the Latin term for scarp or cliff. Ulyxis Rupes is located at high latitudes of the southern highlands of the planet (Lat./Long:-68.37°/159.9°) and extends over a distance of approximately 390 km. The admittedly unspectacular morphological feature is marked with arrows (see also context map).
Color-coded elevation model [3] |
Although this press release is named after Ulxis Rupes, the only named feature in this region, there are other interesting landforms - ice deposits. About two third of the image is covered by the South Pole ice cap and scattered ice deposits. The southern half is dominated by the ice shield which is heavily covered by dark unconsolidated material. At north-facing cliffs the intercalation of ice and dark layers is very well recognisable. Such a sequence is also known as polar layered deposits (box 1). Those scarps often form arcs which are partially owed to underlying impact craters. Due to the scarps terraces developed which gradually decline from south to north (colour-coded elevation model).
Feature Map [4] |
In front of the ice shield isolated, partially large ice deposits are observed which in parts are heavily covered by dark material (box 2). Wind redistributes this material and often forms longitudinal dunes. Based on the orientation of the dunes the prevailing northwesterly wind direction can be derived.
Nadir Image [5] |
With increasing distance from the South Pole large ice occurrences are only present within larger impact craters (box 3). Interestingly, those „mini”- ice shields are not located in the centre of the crater but slightly offset toward the north. This is induced by the sunlight coming from the north. That means the southern walls of impact craters warm up causing ice to melt. As a result ice is preferentially preserved close the colder north wall.
RGB Colour Image [6] |
In boxes 4 and 5 irregular formed light-toned deposits are observed which partially developed parallel structures on their surfaces. Although further analyses are required, a plausible interpretation would be that these deposits represent relict isolated ice deposits or "dead ice". At some locations the deposits are overlain by dark material likely protecting the underlying from melting.
Red-cyan anaglyph [7] |
The colour scenes 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 images were derived from the nadir channel which provides the highest detail of all channels.
Das Kameraexperiment HRSC auf der Mission Mars Express der
Europäischen Weltraumorganisation ESA wird vom Principal Investigator Prof. Dr.
Gerhard Neukum (Freie Universität Berlin), der auch die technische Konzeption der
hochauflösenden Stereokamera entworfen hatte, geleitet. Das
Wissenschaftsteam besteht aus 40 Co-Investigatoren aus 33 Institutionen und zehn
Nationen. Die Kamera wurde am Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) unter der
Leitung des Principal Investigators (PI) G. Neukum entwickelt und in Kooperation mit
industriellen Partnern gebaut (EADS Astrium, Lewicki Microelectronic GmbH und Jena
-Optronik GmbH). Sie wird vom DLR -Institut für Planetenforschung in Berlin-Adlershof
betrieben. Die systematische Prozessierung der Daten erfolgt am DLR. Die Darstellungen
wurden vom Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften der FU Berlin in Zusammenarbeit
mit dem DLR-Institut für Planetenforschung erstellt.
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.
Download
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]: |
© Copyright: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)