HiRISE | Starburst Fans (ESP_011341

NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Starburst Fans
ESP_011341_0980 Science Theme: Seasonal Processes

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During the Martian winter a layer of carbon dioxide ice (dry ice) forms a seasonal cap over the polar region. In the spring--when the sun starts to warm the ice and the surface below--gas escapes from beneath the ice layer, carrying dust with it.

The dust is deposited on top of the ice in fans, with an orientation determined by the prevailing wind direction. In this region, the gas flows along radial channels, so that when it emerges we see a circular set of dust fans. These inspire the "starburst" description.

Written by: Candy Hansen (25 February 2009)

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Acquisition date:	27 December 2008	Local Mars time:	5:06 PM
Latitude (centered):	-81.797 degrees	Longitude (East):	76.130 degrees
Range to target site:	246.9 km (154.3 miles)	Original image scale range:	49.4 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~148 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale:	50 cm/pixel	Map projection:	POLAR STEREOGRAPHIC
Emission angle:	0.3 degrees	Phase angle:	88.0 degrees
Solar incidence angle:	88 degrees, with the Sun about 2 degrees above the horizon	Solar longitude:	180.8 degrees, Northern Autumn
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North azimuth:	110 degrees	Sub-solar azimuth:	32.3 degrees
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North azimuth:	346.1 degrees	Sub solar azimuth:	269.3 degrees

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For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. The image data were processed using the U.S. Geological Survey’s ISIS3 software.