Beautiful pictures of Mars

These beautiful pictures of Mars are digital terrain models (DTM), created from high resolution HiRISE stereo pairs. Gasa Crater Gully Monitoring.

Images © NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/USGS

First image: Basal Unit and Dunes Location Hi-res JPG

HiRISE DTMs are made from two images of the same area on the ground, taken from different look angles. Not all of these have been made into DTMs due to the time-intensive process. Creating a DTM is complicated and involves sophisticated software and a lot of time, both computing time and human operator time.

Bullseye Crater of Medusae Fossae Formation Over Platy-Ridged Lava

The great advantage of a HiRISE DTM is the high resolution of the source images. As a general guide, terrain can be derived at a post spacing about 4 time the pixel scale of the input images. HiRISE images are usually 0.25 – 0.5 m/pixel, so the post spacing is 1-2 m with vertical precision in the tens of centimeters.

Channelized Lava Flow through a Constriction Location Hi-res JPG

Cones Among the Tartarus Montes Location High-res JPG

Crater in Western Arabia Terra with Stair-Stepped Hills and Dark Dunes Location Hi-res JPG