NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Amazonis Yardangs
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1195, 26 August 2005
 NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows yardangs–a typical ridge pattern formed by wind erosion–in southern Amazonis. Some time after the wind erosion occurred, conditions changed and, instead of erosion, the region experienced deposition by a relatively thin, uniform coating of dust. It is this coating of dust that gives the region a monotone appearance. Dark streaks occurring on slopes are formed by avalanching of the dry dust. |
Location near: 10.1°N, 156.9°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.
