Status Report

NASA Mars Odyssey THEMIS Image: Lava Flows and Surface Textures

By SpaceRef Editor
November 17, 2003
Filed under , , ,







Medium image for 20031117a

Image Context:

Context image for 20031117a
Context image credit: NASA/Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) Team
[ Find on map: Javascript version ]

[ Find on map: CGI version ]



The striking surface textures observed in this THEMIS image taken south of the volcano Arsia Mons are from different erupted lava flows. Many flows extend for several kilometers and are observed to crosscut previous existing flows. The variable surface textures could result from older and younger lava flows, differences in the composition and vessicularity of magma, or different degrees of weathering.


[Source: ASU THEMIS Science Team]


Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.


NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA’s Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Arizona State University


[ Show Full-Size Image (GIF) ] [ Show Full-Size Image (JPG) ]
[ Show Full-Size Image (PNG) ] [ Show Full-Size Image (TIF) ]
[ Printer-friendly version ]











ParameterValue ParameterValue
Latitude-20.4 &nbsp InstrumentVIS
Longitude242.2E (117.8W) &nbsp Resolution (m)19
Image Size (pixels)3247×1383 &nbsp Image Size (km)61.7×26.3

SpaceRef staff editor.