NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Small Volcano

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-425, 18 July 2003

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
high resolution image, acquired 13 July 2003, shows a small,
dust-covered volcano on the plains east of Pavonis Mons.
The floor of the caldera–the elliptical depression at the
summit of the volcano–has a few windblown ripples on it.
The ripples and thick dust mantle, together with the small
impact craters on its surface, indicate that
the volcano erupted some time ago. There has been
no activity at this volcano in geologically recent times.
This image covers an area 3 km wide by 6.8 km (1.9 mi by 4.2
mi); the aspect ratio is 1 across by 1.5 down. The volcano
is located near 1.6°S, 105.7°W;
sunlight illuminates the scene from the 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.