Surface Composition Differences in Martian Canyon

(Released 29 May 2002)
Color differences in this daytime infrared image taken by the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft represent differences in the mineral composition of the rocks, sediments and dust on the surface. The image shows a portion of a canyon named Candor Chasma within the great Valles Marineris system of canyons, at approximately 5 degrees south latitude, 285 degrees east (75 degrees west) longitude. The area shown is approximately 30 by 175 kilometers (19 by 110 miles). The image combines exposures taken by Odyssey's thermal emission imaging system at three different wavelengths of infrared light: 6.3 microns, 7.4 microns and 8.7 microns.

Image details

ID#:
PIA03816

Date added:
2003-04-09

Target:
Mars

Mission:
2001 Mars Odyssey

Spacecraft:
2001 Mars Odyssey

Instruments:
Thermal Emission Imaging System

Size:
289 x 1751 pixels (width x height)

Rating:

Views:
1,642

Full-Res TIFF:
PIA03816.tif (1.52 MB)

Full-Res JPG:
PIA03816.jpg (0.19 MB)

Image credit:
NASA/JPL/Arizona State University