Topographic Map of the West Candor Chasma Region of Mars, MTM 500k -05/282E OMKT

This map, compiled photogrammetrically from Viking Orbiter stereo image pairs, is part of a series of topographic maps of areas of special scientific interest on Mars.

The figure of Mars used for the computation of the map projection is an oblate spheroid (flattening of 1/176.875) with an equatorial radius of 3396.0 km and a polar radius of 3376.8 km. The datum (the 0-km contour line) for elevations is defined as the equipotential surface (gravitational plus rotational) whose average value at the equator is equal to the mean radius as determined by Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter.

The projection is part of a Mars Transverse Mercator (MTM) system with 20? wide zones. For the area covered by this map sheet the central meridian is at 290? E. (70? W.). The scale factor at the central meridian of the zone containing this quadrangle is 0.9960 relative to a nominal scale of 1:500,000.

Longitude increases to the east and latitude is planetocentric as allowed by IAU/IAG standards and in accordance with current NASA and USGS standards. A secondary grid (printed in red) has been added to the map as a reference to the west longitude/planetographic latitude system that is also allowed by IAU/IAG standards and has been used for previous Mars maps.