NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Sulci Gordii

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-776, 3 July 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

The Sulci Gordii are a grouping of ridges–almost
like small, rocky mountains–located east of the
giant volcano, Olympus Mons.
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a 3 km (1.9 mi) -wide portion of the
Sulci Gordii region. The rugged hills and mountains
have been mantled by a blanket of fine dust. Ripple-like
dunes in the troughs between each hill or mountain
have also been covered with dust, indicating that they
are inactive in the present martian environment.
This image is located
near 21.2°N, 124.2°W.
Sunlight illuminates the scene 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.