This observation covers a small part of the plains surrounding the volcano Tyrrhena Patera.

Most of this area is covered by a thick layer of "mantling" material which hides the underlying rocks. Infrared data from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft suggested that this area is rockier than most of the region.

The HiRISE observation confirms that the area is unusually rocky, with some bare patches of ancient shattered rock exposed at the surface. This image is also a good example of how the HiRISE team samples unknown terrain. The center of the image is at full resolution, but the outer edges have averaged each group of 4 x 4 pixels. This reduces the amount of data that needs to be returned to Earth and helps ascertain how much resolution is actually needed to study this kind of terrain.
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.