NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Small Dust Storm in Syria/Claritas

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-567, 7 December 2003

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
wide angle image shows a small dust storm, and several other
smaller dust plumes, billowing up from the light-toned
plains near the boundary between Syria Planum and the Claritas
Fossae. This area,
located near 14.5°S, 108.3°W, is monitored by MOC
several times
a week because it is frequently the site of small dust storms
and extremely large dust devils.
The image covers an area approximately 125 km
(78 mi) wide and is illuminated from the left/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.