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Publications

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Evaluating planetary digital terrain models-The HRSC DTM test Evaluating planetary digital terrain models-The HRSC DTM test

The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) has been orbiting the planet Mars since January 2004 onboard the European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express mission and delivers imagery which is being used for topographic mapping of the planet. The HRSC team has conducted a systematic inter-comparison of different alternatives for the production of high resolution digital terrain models (DTMs)...
Authors
C. Heipke, J. Oberst, J. Albertz, M. Attwenger, P. Dorninger, E. Dorrer, M. Ewe, S. Gehrke, K. Gwinner, H. Hirschmuller, J.R. Kim, Randolph L. Kirk, H. Mayer, Jan-Peter Muller, R. Rengarajan, M. Rentsch, R. Schmidt, F. Scholten, J. Shan, M. Spiegel, M. Wahlisch, G. Neukum

Windy Mars: A dynamic planet as seen by the HiRISE camera Windy Mars: A dynamic planet as seen by the HiRISE camera

With a dynamic atmosphere and a large supply of particulate material, the surface of Mars is heavily influenced by wind-driven, or aeolian, processes. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provides a new view of Martian geology, with the ability to see decimeter-size features. Current sand movement, and evidence for recent...
Authors
Nathan T. Bridges, Paul E. Geissler, Alfred S. McEwen, B.J. Thomson, Frank C. Chuang, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Sara Martinez-Alonso

Geologic mapping of the Amirani-Gish Bar region of Io: Implications for the global geologic mapping of Io Geologic mapping of the Amirani-Gish Bar region of Io: Implications for the global geologic mapping of Io

We produced the first geologic map of the Amirani-Gish Bar region of Io, the last of four regional maps generated from Galileo mission data. The Amirani-Gish Bar region has five primary types of geologic materials: plains, mountains, patera floors, flows, and diffuse deposits. The flows and patera floors are thought to be compositionally similar, but are subdivided based on...
Authors
David A. Williams, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, David A. Crown, Windy L. Jaeger, Paul M. Schenk

Topography and geomorphology of the Huygens landing site on Titan Topography and geomorphology of the Huygens landing site on Titan

The Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) aboard the Huygens Probe took several hundred visible-light images with its three cameras on approach to the surface of Titan. Several sets of stereo image pairs were collected during the descent. The digital terrain models constructed from those images show rugged topography, in places approaching the angle of repose, adjacent to flatter...
Authors
Laurence A. Soderblom, Martin G. Tomasko, Brent A. Archinal, Tammy L. Becker, Michael W. Bushroe, Debbie Cook, Lyn R. Doose, Donna M. Galuszka, Trent M. Hare, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Erich Karkoschka, Randolph L. Kirk, Jonathan I. Lunine, Elisabeth A. McFarlane, Bonnie L. Redding, Bashar Rizk, Mark R. Rosiek, Charles See, Peter H. Smith

Mars global digital dune database and initial science results Mars global digital dune database and initial science results

A new Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) constructed using Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) images provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution of moderate‐ to large‐size dune fields (area >1 km2) that will help researchers to understand global climatic and sedimentary processes that have shaped the surface of Mars. MGD3...
Authors
Rosalyn K. Hayward, Kevin F. Mullins, Lori K. Fenton, Trent M. Hare, Timothy N. Titus, Mary C. Bourke, Anthony Colaprete, Phillip R. Christensen

The lakes of Titan The lakes of Titan

The surface of Saturn’s haze-shrouded moon Titan has long been proposed to have oceans or lakes, on the basis of the stability of liquid methane at the surface1,2. Initial visible3 and radar4,5 imaging failed to find any evidence of an ocean, although abundant evidence was found that flowing liquids have existed on the surface5,6. Here we provide definitive evidence for the presence of...
Authors
Ellen R. Stofan, Charles Elachi, Jonathan I. Lunine, Ralf D. Lorenz, B. Stiles, K. L. Mitchell, S. Ostro, Laurence A. Soderblom, C. Wood, H. Zebker, S. Wall, Michael A. Janssen, Randolph L. Kirk, Rosaly Lopes, F. Paganelli, Jani Radebaugh, L. Wye, Y. Anderson, M. Allison, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, E. Flamini, G. Francescetti, Y. Gim, G. Hamilton, S. Hensley, W.T.K. Johnson, K. Kelleher, D. Muhleman, Philipe Paillou, G. Picardi, F. Posa, L. Roth, R. Seu, S. Shaffer, S. Vetrella, R. West

Evidence for and implications of sedimentary diapirism and mud volcanism in the southern Utopia highland-lowland boundary plain, Mars Evidence for and implications of sedimentary diapirism and mud volcanism in the southern Utopia highland-lowland boundary plain, Mars

Several types of spatially associated landforms in the southern Utopia Planitia highland–lowland boundary (HLB) plain appear to have resulted from localized geologic activity, including (1) fractured rises, (2) elliptical mounds, (3) pitted cones with emanating lobate materials, and (4) isolated and coalesced cavi (depressions). Stratigraphic analysis indicates these features are...
Authors
James A. Skinner, Kenneth L. Tanaka

Initial insights from 2.5D hydraulic modeling of floods in Athabasca Valles, Mars Initial insights from 2.5D hydraulic modeling of floods in Athabasca Valles, Mars

We present the first application of a 2.5D hydraulic model to catastrophic floods on Mars. This model simulates flow over complex topography and incorporates flood dynamics that could not be modeled in the earlier 1D models. We apply this model to Athabasca Valles, the youngest outflow channel on Mars, investigating previous bank-full discharge estimates and utilizing the interpolated...
Authors
Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Roger P. Denlinger, D. R. H. O’Connell, Devon M. Burr

Near-infrared spectral mapping of Titan's mountains and channels Near-infrared spectral mapping of Titan's mountains and channels

We investigate the spectral reflectance properties of channels and mountain ranges on Titan using data from Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) obtained during the T9 encounter (26 December 2005). We identify the location of channels and mountains using synthetic aperture radar maps obtained from Cassini's RADAR instrument during the T13 (30 April 2006) flyby...
Authors
Jason W. Barnes, Jani Radebaugh, Robert H. Brown, Steve Wall, Laurence A. Soderblom, Jonathan I. Lunine, Devon M. Burr, Christophe Sotin, Stephane Le Mouelic, Sebastien Rodriguez, Bonnie J. Buratti, Roger N. Clark, Kevin H. Baines, Ralf Jaumann, Philip D. Nicholson, Randolph L. Kirk, Rosaly Lopes, Ralph D. Lorenz, Ken Mitchell, Charles A. Wood

Correlations between Cassini VIMS spectra and RADAR SAR images: Implications for Titan's surface composition and the character of the Huygens Probe Landing Site Correlations between Cassini VIMS spectra and RADAR SAR images: Implications for Titan's surface composition and the character of the Huygens Probe Landing Site

Titan's vast equatorial fields of RADAR-dark longitudinal dunes seen in Cassini RADAR synthetic aperture images correlate with one of two dark surface units discriminated as “brown” and “blue” in Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) color composites of short-wavelength infrared spectral cubes (RGB as 2.0, 1.6, 1.3 μm). In such composites bluer materials exhibit higher...
Authors
Laurence A. Soderblom, Randolph L. Kirk, Jonathan I. Lunine, Jeffrey A. Anderson, Kevin H. Baines, Jason W. Barnes, Janet M. Barrett, Robert H. Brown, Bonnie J. Buratti, Roger N. Clark, Dale P. Cruikshank, Charles Elachi, Michael A. Janssen, Ralf Jaumann, Erich Karkoschka, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Rosaly Lopes, Ralph D. Lorenz, Thomas B. McCord, Philip D. Nicholson, Jani Radebaugh, Bashar Rizk, Christophe Sotin, Ellen R. Stofan, Tracie L. Sucharski, Martin G. Tomasko, Stephen D. Wall

Meter-scale morphology of the north polar region of mars Meter-scale morphology of the north polar region of mars

Mars' north pole is covered by a dome of layered ice deposits. Detailed (∼30 centimeters per pixel) images of this region were obtained with the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Planum Boreum basal unit scarps reveal cross-bedding and show evidence for recent mass wasting, flow, and debris accumulation. The north polar layers...
Authors
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. Byrne, P.S. Russell, K.E. Fishbaugh, A. S. McEwen

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
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