CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MER LANDING SITES

F. Scott Anderson and Tim Parker

3/21/02

LS Workshop

Introduction

Goal: Constrain the highest resolution local topography, slope and pulse width of the surface of Mars at the 2003 Landing Sites

Why: Current maps made by Anderson, Bridges, Golombek, and

Parker fail to show fine detail due to the large range of topography

Wanted to understand topographic structure of features in MOC

Approach: Extract MOLA topo, slope, and PW for each MOC image in

LS ellipse

Data

MOLA data through rangefinding shutdown (ap20333) MOC images

All data through E06 (all others after MOLA shutdown) Basemaps and ellipses provided by T. Parker

Some MOLA/MOC pairs: Missed orbit of MOLA data MOLA data not in MOC image

Total: Hematite: 8 images Melas: 11 images Athabasca: 5 images Gusev: 9 images Isidis: 8 images

Method: MOLA over MOC

Visualize association between MOC structure and MOLA topography for images crossing LS ellipse Read MOC image and determine sclk start/stop of

image, and orbit number Search specific MOLA orbit for matching sclk times Track has previously empirically found to be in line 1674

of MOC image

Hematite

Melas

Isidis

Gusev

Gusev

Gusev

Athabasca

SummaryLocation MOC MOLA Relief (m) Slope (°) PW (ns) CommentHematite E0200970 18984 30.0 0.5 7.5 Flat

E0300329 19273 22.0 1.0 8.0 FlatE0301763 19474 35.0 4.0 10.0 Crater on N. edge of ellipseE0401873 19876 30.0 3.0 7.0 Crater on S. edge of ellipseE0502642 20278 30.0 0.8 7.0 FlatM0001660 10408 9.0 0.8 11.0 Flat (2 m depression in 600 m region)M0301632 11502 50.0 1.0 7.0 Flat on N. end in ellipseM0808066 12898 30.0 2.5 60.0 Small crater

Average 29.5 1.7 14.7

Melas E0200270 18886 310.0 8.0 26.0 Swale on S. end of imageE0202458 19175 200.0 20.0 45.0 Climbs Rim, can't see local detail

E0301135 19376 430.0 10.0 100.0Dune covered hill on N. end of image, Scrambled egg on S.

E0401123 19778 320.0 7.0 38.0 Dune filled valley over width of the ellipseE0501626 20180 370.0 8.0 60.0 Same as E0200270M0202556 11253 30.0 2.0 12.0 Slope with sand sheet over ellipse

M0400361 11907 190.0 5.0 26.0Slope with Scrambled egg terrain without topography

M0802442 12649 Not in ellipseM0804367 12737 95.0 6.0 45.0 Hills in scrambled eggM2100404 17453 450.0 7.0 50.0 Hills in scrambled eggM2301631 18421 290.0 7.0 30.0 Hill and sand sheet over 10 km

Average 268.5 8.0 43.2

Hematite Safety: Excellent Science: Strong

Melas Safety: Yikes Science: Strong

SummaryLocation MOC MOLA Relief (m) Slope (°) PW (ns) CommentAthabasca M1100331 13672 130.0 4.5 50.0 Streamlined island

M0200581 11119 150.0 5.0 30.0 35 m step in SM1801080 16464 50.0 2.5 8.0 HillE0503124 20310 20.0 1.0 5.0 Streamlined islands or knobsE0402119 19908 5.0 0.5 9.0 Slight step in smooth terrain

Average 71.0 2.7 20.4

Gusev E0503287 20322 110.0 7.0 40.0 Hills in center of ellipseE0300012 19229 100.0 7.5 40.0 HillM0700813 12200 50.0 6.0 35.0 Crater, 2 x hillsM0301042 11458 200.0 30.0 150.0 Crater in center of ellipse E0200665 18940 20.0 1.0 10.0 Flat - some small crateringE0201453 19053 70.0 2.0 110.0 Sloping cratered surfaceM0302330 11546 20.0 1.0 8.0 Crater inside larger crater rimM0801958 12615 30.0 1.0 45.0 Interior of craterM1000855 13357 30.0 1.0 8.0 Interior of crater

Average 70.0 6.3 49.6

Isidis E0301529 19433 18.0 1.0 16.0 Cratered terrainE0202211 19144 38.0 0.4 12.0 Sloping cratered terrainE0200049 18555 65.0 1.8 35.0 Cratered terrain E0300958 19345 100.0 2.5 25.0 Cratered terrainE0200681 18943 18.0 0.8 16.0 Cratered terrainE0502100 20237 25.0 1.5 30.0 Cratered terrain E0500486 20036 55.0 0.9 17.0 Cratered terrainE0401562 19835 26.0 1.2 13.0 Hillocks and craters

Average 43.1 1.3 20.5

Athabasca Safety: Moderate Science: Strong

Gusev Safety: Poor to moderate Science: Good

Isidis Safety: Moderate Science: Good