NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Pavonis Slope Streaks

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-986, 29 January 2005

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows several large, dark slope streaks formed on
the wall of a trough on the lower north flank of the
giant Tharsis shield volcano, Pavonis Mons. The layered
rock in the upper wall of the slope shown here is probably
volcanic (lava flows). The ancient lava flows and the troughs
cut through them have been thickly mantled by windblown
dust. From time to time, dry dust avalanches will create
streaks such as those shown here. This scene is located
near 4.1°N, 111.5°W, and has been rotated such
that north is toward the bottom, west to the right. Sunlight
illuminates the scene from the right/lower right. The
picture covers an area approximately 0.8 km (1/2 mile) wide
by about 1.7 km (~1 mile) long.

Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology
built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission.
MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mars Surveyor Operations Project
operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial
partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena,
California and Denver, Colorado.