HiRISE | Scarps in Deuteronilus Mensae (PSP_006648

NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

Scarps in Deuteronilus Mensae
PSP_006648_2255 Science Theme: Glacial/Periglacial Processes

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This image shows scarps (steep slopes) in Deuteronilus Mensae, a region of distinctive terrain in the northern hemisphere of Mars.

Polygonal fractures, possibly formed by thermal cycles in ice-rich ground, are visible throughout the scene. The high-standing topography at the top of the scarps have several muted circles. These are remnant impact craters that have degraded throughout time. Their degradation process might have been enhanced by the presence of ground ice.

The two scarps have different morphologies. The right (east-facing) side has a debris apron with a wave-like texture at its base. This is suggestive of material that has moved down the scrap and gradually flowed away from it. Such a process would be expected if the material were ice-rich. There is no counterpart of this feature at the base of the left (west-facing) cliff side.

Written by: Kelly Kolb (20 February 2008)

Acquisition date
27 December 2007

Local Mars time
14:17

Latitude (centered)
45.127°

Longitude (East)
21.749°

Spacecraft altitude
303.4 km (188.5 miles)

Original image scale range
60.6 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~182 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
50 cm/pixel and North is up

Map projection
Equirectangular

Emission angle
1.4°

Phase angle
52.5°

Solar incidence angle
51°, with the Sun about 39° above the horizon

Solar longitude
8.8°, Northern Spring

For non-map projected images
North azimuth: 97°
Sub-solar azimuth: 322.5°

JPEG
Black and white
map projected  non-map

IRB color
map projected  non-map

Merged IRB
map projected

Merged RGB
map projected

RGB color
non-map projected

JP2
Black and white
map-projected   (324MB)

IRB color
map-projected   (141MB)

JP2 EXTRAS
Black and white
map-projected (155MB)
non-map           (157MB)

IRB color
map projected (53MB)
non-map           (111MB)

Merged IRB
map projected (278MB)

Merged RGB
map-projected (270MB)

RGB color
non map           (109MB)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
B&W label
Color label
Merged IRB label
Merged RGB label
EDR products
HiView

NB
IRB: infrared-red-blue
RGB: red-green-blue
About color products (PDF)

Black & white is 5 km across; enhanced color about 1 km
For scale, use JPEG/JP2 black & white map-projected images

USAGE POLICY
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:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

POSTSCRIPT
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. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.