Mars: A Sheer Close Up
Explanation:
As the
Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft maneuvers
toward its
final mapping orbit,
its cameras have been producing some sharp
views of Mars.
At a resolution of better than 30 feet per pixel,
this image of a portion of the immense canyon,
Valles Marineris,
highlights the sheer mountain cliffs over 3200 feet tall
near the canyon walls.
The striking and extensive layering
clearly apparent in the triangular mountain face
was totally unanticipated.
This exciting new result challenges
common theories about the surface of Mars
and argues that a complex early geological history
is responsible for the current
Martian landscape.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
