Mars - Mars Global Surveyor

Evidence for Ponding in a Martian Crater

Mars
This image shows a crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars (65 S, 15 W) which shows some evidence that it may once have held a small lake. It is thought the dark channels at the rim of the crater (to the left of the frame) is suggestive of seepage of fluid into the crater and the dark floor material may represent sediment transported into the crater by the seeping water. The contact between the dark floor material and the lighter material shows what may be evidence of bays and peninsulas. However, it is also possible that these features are a result of fluid lava flows. Note the dunes visible in the dark material. The image was taken during southern spring in the early afternoon, local solar time, the frame is approximately 25 x 30 km and north is up. (Mars Global Surveyor, MRPS88923)
Larger image: 343K

High resolution tiff file (1.3M)

Location & Time Information
Date/Time (UT): 1997-12-29 T 21:19:17
Distance/Range (km): 3287.97
Central Latitude/Longitude (deg): -65.1, 15.1 W
Orbit(s): 77

Imaging Information
Area or Feature Type: crater
Instrument: Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
Instrument Resolution (pixels): 2048 line array, 8-bit
Instrument Field of View (deg): 0.4
Filter: N/A
Illumination Incidence Angle (deg): 45.31
Phase Angle (deg): 26.65
Instrument Look Direction: N/A
Surface Emission Angle (deg): 37.23

Ordering Information
CD-ROM Volume: MGSC_0002
NASA Image ID number: MRPS88923
Other Image ID number:
NSSDC Data Set ID (Photo): XD-12A
NSSDC Data Set ID (CD): 96-062A-01A (raw image)
Other ID: P-49922

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[NASA Logo] Authors/Curators:

Dave Williams, dave.williams@nasa.gov, (301) 286-1258
Code 690.1, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

Jay Friedlander, jay.s.friedlander@nasa.gov, (301) 286-7172
Code 612.4, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

NASA Official: Dr. David R. Williams, David.R.Williams@nasa.gov
Last updated: 24 September 2015