PIA08672: Diversionary Tactic
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows some dark slope streaks in the Phlegra Dorsa region of Mars. Of particular interest is the split streak near the center of the image, which diverted around a rounded hill as the material was sliding down the slope.
 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:  672 x 998 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems 
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1556  
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA08672.tif (671.6 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA08672.jpg (108.6 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:

16 August 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows some dark slope streaks in the Phlegra Dorsa region of Mars. Of particular interest is the split streak near the center of the image, which diverted around a rounded hill as the material was sliding down the slope. Slope streaks occur in regions of Mars that are mantled by fine, bright dust. They do not occur on slopes that have no dust coating. They are therefore suspected to form by dry avalanching of the dust, despite their somewhat fluid appearance.

Location near: 24.9°N, 184.0°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season: Northern Spring

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2006-08-16