HiRISE | North Polar Layered Deposits (PSP_010366

NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

North Polar Layered Deposits
PSP_010366_2590 Science Theme: Polar Geology

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The polar layered deposits on Mars are thought to have been formed by recent climate changes, similar to ice ages on Earth. This image shows an exposure of the north polar layered deposits, partly covered by bright frost.

The swirling patterns of layers are mostly caused by erosion, exposing the horizontal layers on ridges and valleys. However, the layers are not completely flat in this area. Below and right of center, layers are cut off against other layers in what geologists call an angular unconformity. This unconformity shows that older layers were eroded before younger layers were deposited on top of them. The entire stack was then eroded again to expose the unconformity.

Written by: Ken Herkenhoff (17 December 2008)

Acquisition date
12 October 2008

Local Mars time
14:44

Latitude (centered)
78.722°

Longitude (East)
10.748°

Spacecraft altitude
317.7 km (197.5 miles)

Original image scale range
63.6 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~191 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
50 cm/pixel

Map projection
Polarstereographic

Emission angle
0.1°

Phase angle
66.1°

Solar incidence angle
66°, with the Sun about 24° above the horizon

Solar longitude
140.6°, Northern Summer

For non-map projected images
North azimuth: 104°
Sub-solar azimuth: 327.6°

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   (350MB)

IRB color
map-projected   (164MB)

JP2 EXTRAS
Black and white
map-projected (219MB)
non-map           (157MB)

IRB color
map projected (82MB)
non-map           (119MB)

Merged IRB
map projected (316MB)

Merged RGB
map-projected (293MB)

RGB color
non map           (106MB)

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.