NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Pavonis Wind Streaks

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-512, 13 October 2003

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture
shows wind tails and streaks formed in fine sediment that mantles
the upper southwest slopes of the equatorial volcano, Pavonis Mons.
On the large martian volcanoes, winds tend to blow downslope. The
streaks shown here are evidence of the powerful ability for the
thin atmosphere over the martian volcanoes to transport sediment.
This picture is located near 0.1°N, 113.8°W, and
covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The image is illuminated
by sunlight from the lower left.

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.