UAHiRISE (NASA MRO)

This image shows a diverse array of such features: large dunes, small ripples, and dust-devil tracks (the dark, arcing structures on the dunes). This image is particularly interesting because of the occurrence of seasonal frost on the south-facing slopes. (The image is in the Southern Hemisphere, so south faces the pole and gets little winter light). This is particularly apparent in the color swath, as the frost forms pale, purplish patterns. On the dunes, this highlights some of the regular patterns, as the frost forms only on parts of the ripples. The result is an intricately textured pattern of color. This is a non-narrated clip featuring the infrared-red-blue center swath, and is less than 1 km (0.67 mi) across and is 255 km (158 mi) above the surface. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Impact Prelude” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100617 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ https://www.uahirise.org/PSP_010221_1420 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science #NASA

Cross Crater has basin-filling sedimentary deposits that include the mineral alunite, which is uncommon on Mars. This HiRISE image was paired with CRISM data for composition and targets an alunite-bearing deposit in southwest Cross Crater. Widespread bright-toned, kaolin-bearing sediments with variable amounts of alunite are layered in less than 10-meter scale beds. The mineralogy inside Cross Crater is different from that of the surrounding terrains and other Martian basins. Alunite in Cross crater indicates acidic, sulfurous waters at the time of its formation that were supplied by regionally upwelling groundwaters. The large but highly localized occurrence of alunite suggests a localized, high-volume source of acidic waters or vapors, possibly supplied by sulfurous waters that interacted with subsurface magma. This caption is adapted from “Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters”. (https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2016-5574). This is a non-narrated clip using the infrared-red-blue center swath of the full observation, and is less than 1 km across and is 255 km above the surface. Music: “The Road to You” by Silent Partner (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/PSP_010228_1490 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

Here we see faulted and folded layers at the contact between the layered deposits and wall rock. Detailed mapping here may reveal overlapping relationships and yield insight into any depositional deformation. Are the light-toned layered rocks in west Candor superimposed on a pre-existing chasm interior, or are they derived from removal of some capping rock and exposure of layers that are deep (low) in the chasm wall stratigraphy? Candor Chasma is located in the Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars. This is a non-narrated clip featuring the enhanced color center swath of the complete observation. Image is less than 1 km (0.67 mi) across and is 263 km (164 mi) above the surface. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Edge of Eternity” by Norma Rockwell (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_024822_1755 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

Do you see a dome or a pit? Sometimes it is hard to tell! In this case, the answer is that we're looking at a pit, if the title didn't already give it away. Black and white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_067605_0920 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

During periods in Mars’ history when the planet had greater axial tilt, shifts in atmospheric circulation may have favored the extensive accumulation of snow in some locations. Protonilus Mensae is just such a site of extensive glaciation. Black and white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_068044_2240 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

Gullies along the poleward-facing slope of this 10-kilometer diameter crater in the southern highlands of Mars originate at various elevations along the rim. The eastern gullies originate at or near the crater rim while the more western gullies erode into or undercut rubbly layers along the mid-elevation slopes. Black and white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full images with scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_067299_1435 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

This enhanced color cutout shows a pit about 600 meters across that is bounded by a steep scarp on its northern side. Similar scarps in the southern mid-latitudes are known to expose water ice that extends to within a couple meters of the surface. Black and white is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For full images with scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_066606_1245 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

Becquerel is a 167-kilometer diameter crater in the Arabia Terra region (Northern Hemisphere) of Mars. One of its many notable features are the sedimentary layers that appear to be only a few meters thick. There appear to be cyclic variations in the thickness of the exposed layers, likely due to changes in environmental conditions when the layers were being deposited. Could there also have been a lake here in the ancient past? This is a non-narrated clip, using the enhanced color center swath, which is less than 1 km (.67 mi) across and is 284 km (177 mi) above the surface. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “All I’ve Ever Felt All at Once” by Late Night Feeler (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_024503_2015 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

CRISM observations of this region shows extensive iron/magnesium deposits which may be hydrothermal in origin. The presence of the mineral prehnite in surface and subsurface clay-forming environments on Mars could have supported habitats for microbes. This area is located in the northwest Hellas region (Southern Hemisphere). This is a non-narrated clip, using the color-enhanced center swath of the full observation. Image is less than 1 km (.67 mi) top to bottom and is 256 km (159 mi) above the surface. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Cheating Juarez” by John Deley and the 41 Players (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_039982_1535 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

This image was requested to take a closer look at streamlined features in Argyre Planitia and their relationship to the surrounding topography. In particular, we want to determine the nature of their origin: could these be yardangs, or possibly drumlins? Topographic data is necessary to understand the formation of these features, especially symmetry and asymmetry. This scene is located in Hooke Crater, which is 139 kilometers in diameter and was named after British physicist-astronomer Robert Hooke. This is a non-narrated clip. Image is less than 5 km across and is 256 km above the surface. For images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Divider” by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/divider/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/ https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_011714_1345 NASA/JPL/UArizona

This image is one of the many that HiRISE acquired to the assist the Perseverance team in selecting a potential landing site that would be safe for the rover but also accomplish the team’s science goals. This is *not* where Perseverance eventually touched down. This picture is of the western rim of Jezero, far away from the rover itself, which is furthest east in the interior. An image like this one can also help characterize possible hazards for robotic explorers. As the most powerful camera ever sent to another planet, HiRISE plays a crucial role for future missions to the Red Planet. Audio track features loops of two recordings by Perseverance: the wind and the sound of it driving on the surface. For more, see: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/j2d16fmLDj9UVfWe9 This is a non-narrated clip. Image is less than 5 km across and is 282 km (175 mi) km above the surface. https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_062319_1985 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

A sinuous ridge is a thin and meandering formation that gives the appearance of a stream channel, but stays raised above the surface rather than incised into it. It is believed that these ridges were once stream channels that cut down into the surface. For full images with scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_068041_1845 NASA/JPL/UArizona

This image shows layering near the base of the south polar layered deposits. Radar observations of these deposits and their northern counterparts show that they are rich in water ice. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_066762_1050 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

These geologically youthful faults in Aureum Chaos have been imaged by HiRISE before, so our purpose is to use this observation to complete a stereo pair and create a digital terrain model. We can then measure the fault offsets, if any. Aureum Chaos is a canyon system with collapsed areas, often called “chaotic terrain.” The Mars Express orbiter has identified clay minerals in a variety of places within Aureum Chaos. “Aureum” is the Latin word for “gold.” This is a non-narrated clip. Image is less than 5 km (3 mi) across and is 271 km (168 mi) above the surface. For images with scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Timelapsed Tides” by Asher Fulero (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_024662_1765 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

About a third of Mars has water ice just below the dusty surface. Figuring out exactly where is vital for future human explorers. One of the ways scientists do this is to look for landforms that only occur when this buried ice is present. These scallops are one of those diagnostic landforms. Black and white images are less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km. For images with scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_065907_1220 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

A field of sand dunes occupies this frosty 5-kilometer diameter crater in the high-latitudes of the northern plains of Mars. Some dunes have separated from the main field and appear to be climbing up the crater slope along a gully-like form. Black and white images are less than 5 km across; enhanced color images are less than 1 km. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Narration: Tre Gibbs https://uahirise.org/ESP_068260_2565 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

This HiRISE image shows faulted layered deposits in a part of Valles Marineris called Candor Chasma. Often, faults cut through the layered material in this area, indicating that the rocks underwent stress causing them to crack and shift in position after they were deposited. This area also has a high abundance of hematite. Hematite is a mineral that can precipitate out of water, so its presence on Mars is of special interest for understanding the distant past. This is a non-narrated clip. Image is less than 5 km across and is 265 km above the surface. For full image information, including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Break You In” by Vibe Tracks (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_019732_1750 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

These linear ridges are located in the topographic lows of a region just north of Meridiani Planum. The ridges are likely caused by material that filled tectonic fractures which is more resistant to erosion than the surrounding materials. When the less resistant material is removed the ridges remain to mark the location of former tectonic fractures. This is a non-narrated clip, and the image is less than 5 km across and is 276 km above the surface. For more images, including enhanced color and scale bars, visit the source link. See also: http://themis.asu.edu/node/5565 Music: “I’ve Just Had an Apostrophe!” by Spazz Cardigan (used by permission). NASA/JPL/UArizona https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_022050_1920

The outcrops of bedrock in this region of Mars never get tiresome to look at. This observation not only has a bounty of such outcrops, but is also good for imaging when the camera is pointing straight down (called “nadir”). Another science goal is to get a higher resolution look at sedimentary and layering processes that occurred here. There is also lots of dark sand with visible dune crests that look like ripples. Meridiani Planum is just two degrees south of the Martian equator, and is the home of the Opportunity rover. This region also contains the Challenger Memorial Station. This is a non-narrated clip, and the image is less than 5 km across. For images with scale bars and enhanced color, visit the source link. Music: “Redhead from Mars” by Silent Partner (used by permission). https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_056968_1815 NASA/JPL/UArizona #Mars #science

Aram Chaos is a heavily eroded impact crater, and like its name suggests, its main distinguishing feature is “chaotic terrain.” This is the result of various geological processes where ridges, cracks and plains appear to be a jumbled collection of terrain. Instruments such as THEMIS (Mars Odyssey) and CRISM (a spectrometer on MRO) have identified various minerals, including sulfates, jarosite and hematite in this area. It's likely that a lake once existed on the crater floor. This is a non-narrated clip. Image is less than 1 km across, using the enhanced color center swath of the full observation. For full images including scale bars, visit the source link. Music: “Until We Meet Again” by Joe Bagale (used by permission). NASA/JPL/UArizona https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_016605_1830 #Mars #science