571 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
The morphologic difference between crater slopes with and without gullies on Mars
Recommended from our members
Comparison of the Morphology of Crater-Slopes with Gullies to those Without Gullies
Recommended from our members
Spatial distribution and morphometric measurements of circum-Caloris knobs on Mercury: Application of novel shadow measurements
The Caloris basin (1550 km diameter) is the largest, well-preserved impact feature on Mercury. Its impact ejecta, excavated from the lower crust and uppermost mantle, provides an opportunity to investigate the interior materials of the planet. Based on Mariner 10 data, which cover only the eastern third of the basin, ‘hummocky plains’, associated with Caloris, consisting of ‘low, closely spaced to scattered hills 0.3-1 km across’ were interpreted as Caloris impact ejecta. These plains were subsequently named the Odin Formation, and the knobs associated with them were interpreted as degraded ejecta blocks. To test for an impact ejecta origin for the circum-Caloris knobs, we have mapped their locations and made morphometric measurements and high-resolution observations
Recommended from our members
Investigating the Martian atmosphere using the ExoMars 2016 lander
Accurate modelling of the Martian atmosphere is essential both for planning and completing future missions to the Martian surface, and for accurate analysis and interpretation of the data that they return. Large dust storms and local wind patterns can affect spacecraft landing profiles, and the level of dust present in the atmosphere may impact lander performance. The ExoMars 2016 Mission will carry an Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM), primarily designed to test the ability of ESA’s lander technology to carry a science package to the surface [1]. The Atmospheric Mars Entry and Landing Investigations and Analysis (AMELIA) team [2] will use the module’s entry and descent trajectory to characterise the structure of the atmosphere along the travelled landing profile, and to determine properties of the atmosphere, such as density and wind speed, over a wide altitude range from the upper atmosphere to the surface. Aerosol abundances, including atmospheric dust, will also be characterised. These combined datasets will enable more accurate predictions of the atmospheric environment that future landers will encounter. EDM’s surface science package, DREAMS (Dust characterisation, Risk assessment, and Environment Analyser on the Martian Surface), includes sensors to measure wind speed and direction, surface temperature, pressure, and the amount of atmospheric dust present near the surface [3]. We will use the descent and surface profile data collected by EDM to verify and improve current Martian atmospheric modelling completed at The Open University, using both the global circulation and mesoscale models.
[1] Forget et al. (2011) Fourth International Workshop on the Mars Atmosphere: Modeling and Observations, Paris.
[2] Ferri et al. (2012) 9th International Planetary Probe Workshop (IPPW9), Toulouse.
[3] Esposito et al. (2013) EPSC Abstracts Vol. 8, EPSC2013-815
Potential Identification of sublimation-driven downslope mass movement on Mercury
We have identified a further example of mass movement, in addition to the previously identified example in the pyroclastic vent NE of Rachmaninoff. Both examples show evidence of hollow sublimation being a cause of the mass movements
1:3M Geological Mapping of the Derain (H-10) Quadrangle of Mercury
We are making a high resolution geological map of the Derain quadrangle of Mercury. This is part of a coordinated project to create a global set of geological maps for BepiColombo
- …