PIA03953: Gullied Crater Wall
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
 Spacecraft:  Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter
 Instrument:  Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
 Product Size:  601 x 871 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1124
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA03953.tif (524.2 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA03953.jpg (80.54 kB)

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Original Caption Released with Image:

16 June 2005
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies in the southeast-facing wall of an impact crater in northwestern Acidalia Planitia. Gullies are common in southern middle-latitude craters, and much less common in cases like the one shown here, found at a northern middle latitude. Debate continues within the Mars science community as to the origin of the gullies, whether by groundwater, melting ice or snow, or an alternative fluid such as carbon dioxide.

Location near: 41.4°N, 44.8°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: lower left
Season: Northern Autumn

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2005-06-16