PIA04761: Dusty Troughs
This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dust-mantled troughs formed by faulting on plains near volcano, Ascraeus Mons. Smooth areas are covered with thick accumulations of dust, rougher surfaces are lava flows that have been blanketed by dust.
 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:  674 x 1011 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems 
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA04761.tif (665.7 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA04761.jpg (98.52 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:

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-494, 25 September 2003

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows dust-mantled troughs formed by faulting on the plains northeast of the volcano, Ascraeus Mons. The smooth areas are covered with thick accumulations of dust, the rougher surfaces are lava flows that also have been blanketed by dust. Thick accumulations of dust are common throughout the Tharsis volcanic region of Mars. This picture is located near 8.3°N, 117.5°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2003-09-27