Data Releases

Published geologic maps of the south polar region of Mars, made using either Mariner 9 (Condit and Soderblom, 1978) or Viking Orbiter (Tanaka and Scott, 1987) images, identified only layered deposits and polar ice within this map area. Layered deposits probably underlie all of the other units shown on this map. The residual polar ice cap, partial frost cover, and two low-albedo units are...

The map area is in the Mangala-Memnonia region (fig. 1), which contains remarkably diverse geologic features and terrain types. Studies of the Mariner 9 images revealed the wide range of ages of the major rock units in this region; age assignments were based on the density of impact craters preserved on the various surfaces (Mutch and others, 1976, p. 56-60; Scott and Carr, 1978; Mutch...

This map is one of a series of large-scale (1:500,000) geologic maps of Mars initiated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to investigate areas of high scientific interest. The Gusev crater–Ma’adim Vallis region includes several potential landing sites for future Mars missions, including those with a focus on exobiology studies and sample return. Channels in the map area...

The area shown on this map includes layered polar deposits and residual polar ice, as well as some exposures of older terrain. Howard and others (1982) noted that an area (at lat 84.8 S., long 356 W.) near a 23-km diameter impact crater (Plaut and others, 1988) appears to have undergone recent deposition, as evidenced by the partial burial of secondary craters. Herkenhoff and Murray...

The Noachis quadrangle is in the ancient cratered highlands of Mars. Craters dominate the surface of the planet in this area; most are of impact origin, some are of volcanic origin, and some are of undetermined origin. Impact craters in the Noachis quadrangle are classified into four groups based on their morphologic characteristics, each group representing a relative age range. Where...

The Oxia Palus quadrangle contains three distinct geologic provinces: (1) an elevated cratered plateau that occupies three-fourths of the quadrangle and is similar to much of the southern hemisphere of Mars; (2) the low, relatively featureless Chryse Planitia in the northwest corner; and (3) a complex province of chaotic terrain and immense channels or valleys that divides the plateau an