Layered Outcrop in Gale Crater
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
Layered Outcrop in Gale Crater
PSP_008938_1750  Science Theme: Sedimentary/Layering Processes
Gale Crater is approximately 150 kilometers in diameter and located near the dichotomy boundary between the Martian southern highlands and the northern lowlands.

The central mound of Gale Crater is of interest to scientists because it's composed of light-toned layered deposits that extend higher than the rim of the crater. The origin of the sediments making up the layers is unknown, but possible formations include deposition in an ancient flood or lake, or the deposition of windblown particles such as dust or volcanic ash. Wind erosion has been an active process in Gale, modifying the layered deposits by creating sharp edges, a scalloped texture, and rounded depressions.

This image is located on the northeastern part of the central mound inside the crater.



Written by: Jennifer Griffes  (23 July 2008)

This is a stereo pair with PSP_008437_1750.
 
Acquisition date
22 June 2008

Local Mars time
15:26

Latitude (centered)
-4.929°

Longitude (East)
138.349°

Spacecraft altitude
266.8 km (165.8 miles)

Original image scale range
27.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~83 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
25 cm/pixel and North is up

Map projection
Equirectangular

Emission angle
14.0°

Phase angle
48.4°

Solar incidence angle
58°, with the Sun about 32° above the horizon

Solar longitude
89.0°, Northern Spring

For non-map projected images
North azimuth:  95°
Sub-solar azimuth:  40.4°
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JP2 EXTRAS
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non-map           (446MB)

IRB color
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non-map           (384MB)

Merged IRB
map projected  (222MB)

Merged RGB
map-projected  (213MB)

RGB color
non map           (372MB)
ANAGLYPHS
Map-projected, reduced-resolution
Full resolution JP2 download
Anaglyph details page

DIGITAL TERRAIN MODEL (DTM)
DTM details page

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.