[meteorite-list] Mars Express Images: The Libya Montes Valley on Mars

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 30 21:42:42 2006
Message-ID: <200603301754.k2UHsRZ03096_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMWGVM65LE_0.html

The Libya Montes valley on Mars
Mars Express
European Space Agency
27 March 2006

These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board
ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show the region of Libya Montes, south of
the Isidis Planitia impact basin on Mars.
 

[Map showing location of Libya Montes in context]

The HRSC obtained these images during orbit 922 with a ground resolution
of approximately 14.3 metres per pixel at equatorial latitudes near
longitude 81? East.

The images show the central reaches of a 400-kilometre long valley that
was carved into the surface in early Martian history, approximately 3500
million years ago.

The central parts of the broad valley show traces of an interior valley,
documenting the flow of water that once occurred on the surface of the
planet during periods of wetter climate.

 
 
To see the animation install the latest Macromedia Flash Player
<http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer>

[An animated look at Libya Montes]

Determinations of discharge volumes on the basis of high-resolution HRSC
derived digital terrain models reveal discharge rates that are
comparable to those of the middle reaches of the Mississippi river in
the USA.

Based on crater-size frequency distributions on the valley floor and
surrounding terrain it has been shown that the formation time of the
valley is about 350 million years.

 
[Libya Montes valley region on Mars, perspective view]

Measurements of erosion rates suggest that the active phases of valley
development are characterised by short periods of intense fluvial
activity rather than sustained liquid flow.

Details on valley formation have been published by R. Jaumann (DLR) and
colleagues, as an article "Constraints on fluvial erosion by
measurements of the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera" in
Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L16203, doi:10.1029/2005GL023415).


[3D anaglyph view of Libya Montes valley region]

The colour scenes were 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.

The 3D anaglyph image was calculated from the nadir and one stereo
channel. The black and white high-resolution images were derived from
the nadir channel that provides the highest detail of all the channels.
Image resolution has been decreased for use on the internet.

 
[Perspective view of Libya Montes valley, looking east]
 
Received on Thu 30 Mar 2006 12:54:26 PM PST