This HiRISE image shows a small portion of the rim of the caldera at the top of the volcano Alba Patera.

This volcano has shallower slopes than most of the other large volcanoes on Mars. Unfortunately, this image is not able to help us understand what is unique about Alba Patera because of the thick dust cover. Instead it shows that the dust has been carved into streamlined shapes by the wind, cut by small landslides. Interestingly, there are some isolated patches that appear smooth and undisturbed by the wind.
Written by: Laszlo P. Keszthelyi

All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible: Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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.