PIA04791: Dark Sand Dunes


Dark Sand Dunes

Caption:

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-509, 10 October 2003

This April 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark sand dunes in a crater north of Syrtis Major near 27.1°N, 297.2°W. The steepest slopes on each dune face toward the bottom/lower left of the image, indicating that the dominant winds that influenced their formation came from the north (the top of the image). Layers are exposed in a butte at the lower right corner of the picture; this butte is a remnant of layered rock that once covered the entire crater floor on which the dunes occur. This picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
Instrument Host Mars Global Surveyor
Host Type Orbiter
Instrument Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
Detector
Extra Keywords Crater, Dune, Grayscale
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2003-10-14
Date in Caption 2003-10-10
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04791
Identifier PIA04791