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Publications

Filter Total Items: 960

Mars reconnaissance orbiter's high resolution imaging science experiment (HiRISE) Mars reconnaissance orbiter's high resolution imaging science experiment (HiRISE)

The HiRISE camera features a 0.5 m diameter primary mirror, 12 m effective focal length, and a focal plane system that can acquire images containing up to 28 Gb (gigabits) of data in as little as 6 seconds. HiRISE will provide detailed images (0.25 to 1.3 m/pixel) covering ∼1% of the Martian surface during the 2‐year Primary Science Phase (PSP) beginning November 2006. Most images will...
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, Eric M. Eliason, James W. Bergstrom, Nathan T. Bridges, Candice J. Hansen, W. Alan Delamere, John A. Grant, Virginia C. Gulick, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Randolph L. Kirk, Michael T. Mellon, Steven W. Squyres, Nicolas Thomas, Catherine M. Weitz

THEMIS observes possible cave skylights on Mars THEMIS observes possible cave skylights on Mars

Seven possible skylight entrances into Martian caves were observed on and around the flanks of Arsia Mons by the Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS). Distinct from impact craters, collapse pits or any other surface feature on Mars, these candidates appear to be deep dark holes at visible wavelengths while infrared observations show their thermal behaviors to be...
Authors
Glen Cushing, Timothy N. Titus, J. Judson Wynne, P. R. Christensen

Survey of TES high albedo events in Mars' northern polar craters Survey of TES high albedo events in Mars' northern polar craters

Following the work exploring Korolev Crater (Armstrong et al., 2005) for evidence of crater interior ice deposits, we have conducted a survey of Thermal Emission Spectroscopy (TES) temperature and albedo measurements for Mars' northern polar craters larger than 10 km. Specifically, we identify a class of craters that exhibits brightening in their interiors during a solar longitude, Ls...
Authors
J.C. Armstrong, S.K. Nielson, Timothy N. Titus

A closer look at water-related geologic activity on Mars A closer look at water-related geologic activity on Mars

Water has supposedly marked the surface of Mars and produced characteristic landforms. To understand the history of water on Mars, we take a close look at key locations with the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, reaching fine spatial scales of 25 to 32 centimeters per pixel. Boulders ranging up to ∼2 meters in diameter are ubiquitous in...
Authors
Alfred S. McEwen, C.J. Hansen, W.A. Delamere, E. M. Eliason, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, V. C. Gulick, Randolph L. Kirk, M. T. Mellon, J. A. Grant, N. Thomas, C.M. Weitz, S. W. Squyres, N.T. Bridges, S.L. Murchie, F. Seelos, K. Seelos, C.H. Okubo, M.P. Milazzo, L.L. Tornabene, W.L. Jaeger, S. Byrne, P.S. Russell, J.L. Griffes, S. Martinez-Alonso, A. Davatzes, F. C. Chuang, B.J. Thomson, K.E. Fishbaugh, C. M. Dundas, K.J. Kolb, M. E. Banks, J.J. Wray

The lakes and seas of Titan The lakes and seas of Titan

No abstract available.
Authors
Rosaly Lopes, Karl L. Mitchell, Stephen D. Wall, Giuseppe Mitri, Michael Janssen, Steven J. Ostro, Randolph L. Kirk, Alexander G. Hayes, Ellen R. Stofan, Jonathan I. Lunine, Ralph D. Lorenz, Charles Wood, Jani Radebaugh, Philipe Paillou, H. Zebker, Flora Paganelli

The Unified Lunar Control Network 2005 The Unified Lunar Control Network 2005

This report documents a new general unified lunar control network and lunar topographic model based on a combination of Clementine images and a previous network derived from Earth-based & Apollo photographs, and Mariner 10, & Galileo images. This photogrammetric network solution is the largest planetary control network ever completed. It includes the determination of the 3-D positions of...
Authors
Brent A. Archinal, Mark R. Rosiek, Randolph L. Kirk, Bonnie L. Redding

Calibrated Landsat ETM+ nonthermal-band image mosaics of Afghanistan Calibrated Landsat ETM+ nonthermal-band image mosaics of Afghanistan

In 2005, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey to perform assessments of the natural resources within Afghanistan. The assessments concentrate on the resources that are related to the economic development of that country. Therefore, assessments were initiated in oil and gas, coal, mineral...
Authors
Philip A. Davis

Overview of the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Meridiani Planum: Eagle Crater to Purgatory Ripple Overview of the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Meridiani Planum: Eagle Crater to Purgatory Ripple

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity touched down at Meridiani Planum in January 2004 and since then has been conducting observations with the Athena science payload. The rover has traversed more than 5 km, carrying out the first outcrop‐scale investigation of sedimentary rocks on Mars. The rocks of Meridiani Planum are sandstones formed by eolian and aqueous reworking of sand grains...
Authors
S. W. Squyres, R. E. Arvidson, D. Bollen, J.F. Bell, J. Bruckner, N.A. Cabrol, W. M. Calvin, M. H. Carr, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, L. Crumpler, D.J. Des Marais, C. D'Uston, T. Economou, J. Farmer, W.H. Farrand, W. Folkner, R. Gellert, T.D. Glotch, M. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, J. Grotzinger, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. Hviid, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhoefer, A.H. Knoll, G. Landis, M. Lemmon, Ron Li, M.B. Madsen, M.C. Malin, S. M. McLennan, H.Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J. Moersch, R.V. Morris, T. Parker, J. W. Rice, L. Richter, R. Rieder, C. Schroeder, M. Sims, M. Smith, P. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, R. Sullivan, N.J. Tosca, H. Wänke, T. Wdowiak, M. Wolff, A. Yen

Topomapping of Mars with HRSC Images, ISIS, and a commercial stereo workstation Topomapping of Mars with HRSC Images, ISIS, and a commercial stereo workstation

We demonstrate that the freely available USGS planetary cartography software package ISIS and the commercial photogrammetric software SOCET SET jointly provide a complete environment for the processing of Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) images. Capabilities include bundle adjustment, automated production and interactive editing of stereo digital terrain models (DTMs)...
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Donna M. Galuszka, Bonnie L. Redding, Trent M. Hare

Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers, Nampa, Idaho 2006 Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers, Nampa, Idaho 2006

Approximately 18 people attended this year's mappers meeting, and many more submitted abstracts and maps in absentia. The meeting was held on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University (NNU), and was graciously hosted by NNU's School of Health and Science. Planetary mapper Dr. Jim Zimbelman is an alumnus of NNU, and he was pivotal in organizing the meeting at this location. Oral and...
Authors
Kenneth L. Tanaka, R. Stephen Saunders

Heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle: Insights from ion microprobe analyses of lunar pyroclastic glasses Heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle: Insights from ion microprobe analyses of lunar pyroclastic glasses

We provide new estimates for the abundance of heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle by using SIMS techniques to measure the concentrations of thorium and samarium in lunar pyroclastic glasses. Lunar pyroclastic glasses are utilized in this study because they represent quenched products of near-primary melts from the lunar mantle and as such, they provide compositional information...
Authors
Justin Hagerty, Charles K. Shearer, David Vaniman

Refined thorium abundances for lunar red spots: Implications for evolved, nonmare volcanism on the Moon Refined thorium abundances for lunar red spots: Implications for evolved, nonmare volcanism on the Moon

We have used improved knowledge of the spatial distribution of thorium (Th) on the lunar surface, in conjunction with a forward modeling analysis of Lunar Prospector gamma ray data, to estimate the thorium abundances of lunar red spots. The results from this study can be combined with preexisting compositional and morphologic evidence to suggest that Hansteen Alpha, the Gruithuisen domes...
Authors
Justin Hagerty, D. J. Lawrence, B. R. Hawke, D. T. Vaniman, R.C. Elphic, William C. Feldman
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