MARS REMOTE SENSING

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MARS REMOTE SENSING
READING THE USGS MARS TOPOGRAPHIC MAP ANALYSIS OF
MARTIAN LANDFORMS 2007-2008
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PRESENTED BY MARK A. VAN HECKE NATIONAL EVENT
SUPERVISOR
PROJECT CHANDRA RESOURCE AGENTWRIGHT CENTER FOR
INNOVATIVE SCIENCE EDUCATIONTUFTS
UNIVERSITYCAMBRIDGE, MA GEOGRAPHY/TECHNOLOGY
INSTRUCTOR ANCHOR BAY HIGH SCHOOLFAIR HAVEN, MI
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WHY STUDY MARS?
IN MANY WAYS, MARS IS SIMILAR IN STRUCTURE TO
EARTH AND OTHER TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
MARS IS CLOSE ENOUGH IN DISTANCE TO EARTH FOR
FUTURE MANNED EXPLORATION
OF ALL PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM OTHER THAN
EARTH, MARS IS THE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THE
CAPABILITY TO SUPPORT LIFE
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• PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
• DESCRIBE THE PROJECTIONS OF THE USGS MARS
  TOPOGRAPHIC AND CONTOUR MAPS
• LOCATE FEATURES USING THE MARTIAN COORDINATE GRID
• CORRECTLY READ AND WRITE MARTIAN COORDINATES
• ANALYZE MARS THERMAL EMISSION IMAGING SYSTEM
  (THEMIS) AND MARS RECONNAISANCE ORBITER (MRO)
  IMAGES
• IDENTIFY RESOURCES FOR TRAINING SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
  TEAMS

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MAP READING SKILLS
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EARTHS GEOGRAPHIC GRID
On the planet Earth, the intersection of lines of
latitude and longitude are used to create a
geographic grid that is used to determine
location.
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For many years, the Mercator Projection was a
popular depiction of the Earths surface
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LATITUDE
Planetocentric coordinates are measured from the
planets Equator to a point on the surface of the
planet
Martian coordinates may sometimes be referred to
as Areographic coordinates
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LONGITUDE
Longitude coordinates are set up by defining a
Prime Meridian to act as an origin or 0º
longitude
On Mars, the Prime Meridian passes through the
crater Airy-O.
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When reading and writing Martian Coordinates, the
latitude coordinate is expressed first followed
by the longitude coordinate. Latitude
coordinates are expressed as positive or negative
numbers Longitude coordinates are expressed in
numbers from 0 to 360
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(No Transcript)
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Northern Hemisphere-Young, Smooth Plains
Southern Hemisphere-Old Cratered Highlands
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USGS MOLA MAP
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Azimuthal Projection of Northern Hemisphere
Read counter-clockwise from the bottom Note
increased distortion of the map away from the pole
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Azimuthal Projection of Southern Hemisphere
Read clockwise from the top Note increased
distortion of the map away from the pole
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FIND THE COORDINATES OF THESE MARTIAN LOCATIONS

• Timoshenko Crater (North Center)
• Viking I Landing Site (North Center)
• Beer Crater (South Center)

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• 46.5N212.5E
• 22313E
• -15S352E

ANSWERS
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MOLA Image Analysis
In what Martian hemisphere is this region
located? What are its primary features? What
geologic processes may have created them?
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MOLA Image Analysis
Southern Hemisphere Craters resulting from
meteorite impact, superimposition of craters over
one another
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MOLA Image Analysis
In what Martian hemisphere is this region
located? What are its primary features? What
geologic processes may have created them?
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MOLA Image Analysis
Northern Hemisphere Flat, low terrain, recent
meteorite impact Volcanic lava flows
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MOLA Image Analysis
In what Martian hemisphere is this region
located? What are its primary features? What
geologic processes may have created them?

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MOLA Image Analysis
Southern Hemisphere Meteorite impacts,
superimposition of craters, changes in
elevation Possible erosion by running water
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DETERMINING AZIMUTH
Read azimuth in a clockwise direction from North
(0) to East (90) to South (180) to West (270)
and back to North (360)
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DETERMINING AZIMUTH
Find the azimuth from the Timeshenko Crater
(top left) to the Viking I Landing Site (North
Center)
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DETERMINING AZIMUTH
ANSWER 145
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SCALE MEASUREMENT
Use the map scale given at the bottom of the USGS
Mars Topographic Map to find the distance from
one point to another.
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SCALE MEASUREMENT
Find the distance in kilometers from the
Timoshenko Crater (North Center) to the Viking I
Landing Site (North Center)
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SCALE MEASUREMENT
ANSWER 1,675Km
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REMOTE SENSING
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Remote sensing The gathering of information
without actual physical contact with what is
being observed.
Information about Mars has been obtained by

• Telescopes
• Fly by spacecraft
• Orbiting spacecraft (orbiters)
• Spacecraft that land on the surface (landers)
• Spacecraft that land and then drive around
  (rovers)

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Instrumentation The spacecraft that have
been sent to Mars have carried a wide range of
scientific instruments that have provided a
plethora of information about the geology of Mars
including

• Photography of surface features
• Altitude determination
• Rock and Mineral composition
• Magnetic field strength
• Atmospheric composition and radiation levels
• Surface conditions

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THEMIS Images
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THEMIS Thermal Imagery System
THEMIS is an instrument on board the Mar Odyssey
spacecraft that combines a 5-band visual imaging
system with a 10-band infrared imaging system.
THEMIS can determine the localized mineralogy and
petrology (rock types) of Mars.
Using its infrared camera, THEMIS can reveal what
is underneath dust-covered terrain by detecting
heat.
THEMIS utilizes the same infrared spectral region
as the Mars Global Surveyor Spectrometer (TES)
but at a high (100m) spatial resolution.
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This image is a mosaic of infrared images.
Olivine-rich exposures appear magenta to
purple-blue in color.
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This THEMIS image shows olivine-rich rocks in the
Nili Fossae Region.
Water rapidly breaks down the mineral olivine so
its presence indicates it has been a long time
since these olivine-rich rocks were very wet.
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This THEMIS image shows a thick layer of
sediments overlaying chaotic blocks.
The sediments contain a hematite layer which
requires liquid water to form.
A catastrophic flood may have formed a lake.
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MARS GEOLOGIC FEATURES
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Cratering affects Mars in much the same way that
it effects the Moon and the planet Mercury
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AIRY- O CRATER
The Prime Meridianof Mars
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LANDFORM SLIDES
The B/W Image on the following slides was taken
by the Mars Orbital Reconnaisance (MOR) The
colored Image on the right is a THEMIS Image
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09439
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CRATERS
Circular depressions that are the primary
landform feature of Mars Coordinates20.3,
328.8 E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10027
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Holden Crater
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An inverted cutoff meander in Holden Crater
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These broken-line patterns are found on the floor
of a Northern Hemisphere impact crater perhaps
indicating subsurface ice
On Earth, images like these would be associated
with the seasonal freeze-thaw cycles of ground
ice.
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CHAOS
Aurora Chaos Distinctive area of broken terrain
east end of Vallis Marineris Coordinates0 0 E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10035
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CHASMA
Corprates Chasma Deep, elongated, steep-sided
depressions paralleling Vallis Marineris with
layered deposition Coordinates-10.9 ,292.4 E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09982
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This Mars Global Surveyor Image shows streamlined
features in a water channel
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COLLES
Avernus Colles Small hills or knobs Coordinates-
2.1 ,173.3E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09439
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FOSSA
Medusa Fossae Long, narrow, shallow depression
affected by wind erosion. Coordinates-9.7,
183.9E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10026
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LABES
Martian Landslide. Note gravity-driven slope
failure Coordinates-33.5, 194.9E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10031
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Fine-grained fan-shaped talus accumulations
formed by the break down of rocks
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LABYRINTHUS
Noctis Labyrinthus Complex intersecting valleys
formed tectonic forces and faulting. Coordinates
-6.8, 258.0E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09468
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MONS
Ascraeus Mons Martian Mountain Coordinates11.4,
255.3E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09995
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PATERA
Uranius Patera Irregular or complex crater with
scalloped edges Coordinates27.3, 268.2E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09999
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RUPES
Claritas Rupes Martian Scarp dividing two
volcanic flows Coordinates-21.3, 251.4E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09454
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TERRA
Terra Cimmeria Extensive land mass Coordinates-1
7.8, 137.7E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09449
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VALLIS
Her Desher Vallis Martian valley with medium
channel Coordinates-25.5, 312.4E
http//photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09992
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VALLIS MARINERIS
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Resources for Mars Remote Sensing
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Visit this site for printable globes and other
Mars Maps
http//astrogeology.usgs.gov/Gallery/MapsAndGlobes
/mars.htmlMarsMOLATopoMap
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NASA Remote Sensing Tutorial including Mars
http//rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Front/tofc.html
Refer to Section 19 The Solar System and
Planetary Exploration
Nine Planets Website
http//www.nineplanets.org/nineplanets.html
University of Arizona GRS Site
http//grs.lpl.arizona.edu/
Arizona State University Site for THEMIS
http//themis.asu.edu/
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Arizona State Universitys TES Site
http//tes.asu.edu/
Malin Space Science Systems
http//www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
http//mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/
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Follow this link to Other Worlds Educational
Enterprises at www.otherworlds-edu.com for
resources for Mars Remote Sensing. Just follow
the Astronomy Link to Martian Map Product 102.
For 14.00 you get both USGS Mars Maps and
activities
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Science Olympiad Mars Remote Sensing Resource CD