[meteorite-list] Mars Express Images: Ausonia Mensa Remnant Massif

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 2 14:25:56 2006
Message-ID: <200603021836.k22Ialx10020_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEM8RLMZCIE_0.html

Ausonia Mensa remnant massif
Mars Express
European Space Agency
24 February 2006

These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board
ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show the Ausonia Mensa massif on Mars.
 

[Map showing location of the massif in context]

The HRSC obtained these images during orbit 506 with a ground resolution
of approximately 37.6 metres per pixel. The scenes show the region of
Hesperia Planum, containing the massif, at approximately 30.3? South and
97.8? East. North is to the right in these images.

Ausonia Mensa is a large remnant mountain with several impact craters,
rising above basaltic sheet layers. The mountain stretches over an area
of about 98 kilometres by 48 kilometres and has an elevation of 3700
metres.


[Colour nadir view of Ausonia Mensa]

A large crater, approximately 7.5 kilometres in diameter and 870 metres
deep, has been partially filled with sediment. The northern flank of the
crater is broken by a large gully caused by erosion.

Numerous branched channels, also resulting from erosion, run along the
edge of top of the plateau toward the plains at the foot of the mountain.

The western flank of the mountain is dominated by a large crater, about
six kilometres in diameter, which clearly shows an ejecta blanket and
secondary cratering.

Aeolian, or "wind-created", structures are visible about 50 kilometres
to south-east of the massif, indicating channeling of atmospheric flow.
They are clearly visible because of their different colour.

 
[Black and white nadir view of Ausonia Mensa]

A heavily eroded, partially filled crater of approximately six
kilometres diameter is visible to the north of the massif. The crater is
characterised by numerous, smaller and younger craters.

The colour scenes have been derived from the three HRSC-colour channels
and the nadir channel.

The perspective views have been calculated from the digital terrain
model derived from the stereo channels.

 
[3D anaglyph view of Ausonia Mensa]
 
The 3D anaglyph image was calculated from the nadir and one stereo
channel. Image resolution has been decreased for use on the internet.
Received on Thu 02 Mar 2006 01:36:47 PM PST