Enhanced Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) Topographic Maps of Mars Released
MOLA is an instrument currently in orbit around Mars on the Mars
According to NASA “These three maps are global false-color topographic views of Mars at different orientations from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). The maps are orthographic projections that contain over 200,000,000 points and about 5,000,000 altimetric crossovers. The spatial resolution is about 15 kilometers at the equator and less at higher latitudes. The vertical accuracy is less than 5 meters. The first two maps are a “re-do” of the MOLA cover of Science on May 28, 1999. The first features the Hellas impact basin (in purple, with red annulus of high standing material). The second features the Tharsis topographic rise (in red and white). The third figure illustrates the fascinating subtle textures associated with resurfacing of the northern hemisphere lowlands in the vicinity of the Utopia impact basin (at the near-center of the image in blue). (All images NASA MOLA Science Team)
Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft. The instrument transmits infrared laser pulses towards Mars at a rate of 10 Hz and measures the time of flight to determine the
range of the MGS spacecraft to the Martian surface. The range measurements are used to construct a precise topographic map of Mars that has many applications to
studies in geophysics, geology and atmospheric circulation.”
 Hellas [enlarge] |  Tharsis [enlarge] |  Utopia [enlarge] |
Related Links
° Mars Global Surveyor, NASA JPL
° MOLA Science Team
° Mars Once Had Salty Oceans – Just Like Earth, SpaceRef
° Mars Global Surveyor Provides Evidence of Ancient Martian Oceans, SpaceRef
