NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Gullied Crater Wall 06-16-2005
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1124, 16 June 2005
 NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies in the southeast-facing wall of an impact crater in northwestern Acidalia Planitia. Gullies are common in southern middle-latitude craters, and much less common in cases like the one shown here, found at a northern middle latitude. Debate continues within the Mars science community as to the origin of the gullies, whether by groundwater, melting ice or snow, or an alternative fluid such as carbon dioxide. |
Location near: 41.4°N, 44.8°W |
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
Illumination from: lower left |
Season: Northern Autumn |
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.
