PIA03004: Inverted Channels
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the inverted remains of several channels in a fan-like complex in the Aeolis region of Mars. The inverted channels are flat-topped ridges that trend from southeast to northwest.
 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:  836 x 1520 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems 
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1218  
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA03004.tif (1.272 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA03004.jpg (354 kB)  

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

18 September 2005
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the inverted remains of several channels in a fan-like complex in the Aeolis region of Mars. The inverted channels are the flat-topped ridges that trend from lower right toward upper left (southeast to northwest). Other ridges, trending from lower left toward upper right (southwest to northeast) are yardangs, the products of wind erosion. The channels were inverted by erosion, as well -- the tops of these ridges were once the floor of the channels (or the tops of materials that filled the channels).

Location near: 5.1°S, 205.0°W
Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: lower left
Season: Southern Spring

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2005-09-18