NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE Images: June 6, 2012

– Layered Material Cut by a Valley Connected to East Jezero Crater http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_026359_1990

This image shows layered bedrock composed of light- and intermediate-toned materials.

– Active Sand Abrasion in the Northern Polar Region of Mars http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_026839_2550

The large dune field which surrounds Mars’ North Polar cap is actively being modified by the wind, with dunes moving at rates of a meter or more per year.

– Streaks on the North Polar Layered Deposits http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_026897_2655

These streaks may be formed by winds blowing bright water frost over the surface, removing frost from the surface, or blowing dark material over the frost.

– Pluvo Point http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_026956_2545

Although we can clearly see the bright area in this image, it isn’t due to frost or ice at this time of year.

All of the HiRISE images are archived here: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/

Information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is online at http://www.nasa.gov/mro. The mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, of Denver, is the prime contractor and built the spacecraft. HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona. Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp., of Boulder, Colo., built the HiRISE instrument.