HiRISE | Spring Comes Early to the Russell Crater Sand Dunes (PSP_010090

NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Spring Comes Early to the Russell Crater Sand Dunes
PSP_010090_1255 Science Theme: Seasonal Processes

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Spring is already starting to show its influence at the Russell Crater field of sand dunes. Channels down the face of the largest dune show dark spots where the sublimation of the seasonal carbon dioxide ice cap has begun.

This active process (where ice evaporates directly to gas) dislodges loose material, leaving dark streaks down steep slopes. The process starts when the sun peeks above the horizon at the end of antarctic night. Bright streaks may be loose frost cascading down steep slopes.

Written by: Candy Hansen (12 November 2008)

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Acquisition date:	20 September 2008	Local Mars time:	3:49 PM
Latitude (centered):	-54.3 degrees	Longitude (East):	13.0 degrees
Range to target site:	252.0 km (157.5 miles)	Original image scale range:	100.8 cm/pixel (with 4 x 4 binning) so objects ~302 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale:	100 cm/pixel and North is up	Map projection:	EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission angle:	0.3 degrees	Phase angle:	88.2 degrees
Solar incidence angle:	88 degrees, with the Sun about 2 degrees above the horizon	Solar longitude:	130.1 degrees, Northern Summer
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North azimuth:	97 degrees	Sub-solar azimuth:	43.7 degrees
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North azimuth:	270 degrees	Sub solar azimuth:	214.5 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.