[meteorite-list] Mars Express Image: Solis Planum, Thaumasia region

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Sep 13 17:36:53 2004
Message-ID: <200409132136.OAA07118_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMH3J0XDYD_0.html

European Space Agency
Mars Express
Solis Planum, Thaumasia region
10 September 2004

These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board
ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show part of a heavily eroded impact
crater at Solis Planum, in the Thaumasia region of Mars.
 
The images were taken during orbit 431 in May 2004 with a ground
resolution of approximately 48 metres per pixel. The displayed region is
located south of Solis Planum at longitude 271? East and latitude of
about 33? South.
 
Solis Planum 3-channels colour image <SEMH3J0XDYD_1.html#subhead1>

Solis Planum, in the Thaumasia region
 
The larger eroded impact crater in the lower left of this image has a
diameter of about 53 kilometres and its eastern crater rim is about 800
metres high.

The blue/white tint in the eastern (top left) part of the scene
indicates a near-surface haze or clouds.

To the south (right), tectonic "graben" structures can be seen running
in three different directions (north-west, north-east and
east-north-east), which show three different phases of development.

 
 
A graben is a down-dropped block of the crust resulting from extension,
or pulling, of the crust. They are often seen together with features
called "horsts", which are upthrown blocks lying between two
steep-angled fault blocks. Some of the graben shown here are about five
kilometres wide.
 
 
Solis Planum red-cyan anaglyph image <SEMH3J0XDYD_1.html#subhead3>

Solis Planum, 3D anaglyph view

The northern end of the higher region, or upper left in this image,
contains an almost circular plateau, which is 15 kilometres across.

It may be an old impact crater, filled by sediments, which developed a
harder consistency than the surrounding material over the course of time.

Later, the more easily eroded material was removed and the harder inner
filling remained. This phenomenon is called "inverted relief".

The 3D anaglyph image has been created from the nadir channel and one of
the stereo channels. Stereoscopic glasses are needed to view the 3D image.

 
 
Solis Planum perspective view <SEMH3J0XDYD_1.html#subhead4>

Solis Planum perspective view, looking north-east
 
The colour images were processed using the nadir (vertical view) and
colour channels. The perspective views have been calculated from the
digital terrain model derived from the stereo channels.
 
 
Solis Planum perspective view <SEMH3J0XDYD_1.html#subhead5>

Solis Planum, close-up perspective view, looking south-east
Received on Mon 13 Sep 2004 05:36:50 PM PDT