Small Winding Channel in Tartarus Colles
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
Small Winding Channel in Tartarus Colles
PSP_001420_2045  Science Theme: Volcanic Processes
This observation shows a thin channel between knobs in the Northern hemisphere. These knobs are part of a local group of knobs called the Tartarus Colles.

Both knobs visible in this image have dark slope streaks. It was originally thought that slope streaks might be locations of surface water wetting and darkening soil, but it is now commonly believed that slope streaks are mini-avalanches of dust. Slope streaks fade over time as wind erosion blends them in with their surroundings.

The channel between the knobs has a variable depth as seen by the varying shadow lengths. The origin of the channel is unknown, but it is probably not a fluvial channel because there are no obvious source or deposit regions. The channel is probably a collapse feature.

One portion of it, (see subimage) contains a bridge, and is probably a remnant of the original surface. A depression that extends from the channel northwards—but which is not as deep as the majority of the channel—might be in the process of collapsing and enlarging the channel.

Written by: Kelly Kolb  (26 September 2007)

This is a stereo pair with ESP_069174_2045.
 
Acquisition date
15 November 2006

Local Mars time
15:23

Latitude (centered)
24.471°

Longitude (East)
188.130°

Spacecraft altitude
286.2 km (177.8 miles)

Original image scale range
from 28.9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 57.8 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning)

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25 cm/pixel and North is up

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Equirectangular

Emission angle
8.5°

Phase angle
56.2°

Solar incidence angle
48°, with the Sun about 42° above the horizon

Solar longitude
135.6°, Northern Summer

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North azimuth:  97°
Sub-solar azimuth:  7.8°
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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.