Journal ArticleDOI
The Mars Observer laser altimeter investigation
Maria T. Zuber,David E. Smith,Sean C. Solomon,Duane O. Muhleman,James W. Head,James B. Garvin,James B. Abshire,Jack L. Bufton +7 more
TLDR
The Mars Observer laser altimeter (MOLA) was used to determine globally the topography of Mars at a level suitable for addressing problems in geology and geophysics as mentioned in this paper.Abstract:
The primary objective of the Mars Observer laser altimeter (MOLA) investigation is to determine globally the topography of Mars at a level suitable for addressing problems in geology and geophysics. Secondary objectives are to characterize the 1064-nm wavelength surface reflectivity of Mars to contribute to analyses of global surface mineralogy and seasonal albedo changes, to assist in addressing problems in atmospheric circulation, and to provide geodetic control and topographic context for the assessment of possible future Mars landing sites. The principal components of MOLA are a diode-pumped, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser transmitter that emits 1064-nm wavelength laser pulses, a 0.5-m-diameter telescope, a silicon avalanche photodiode detector, and a time interval unit with 10-ns resolution. MOLA will provide measurements of the topography of Mars within approximately 160-m footprints and a center-to-center along-track foot print spacing of 300 m along the Mars Observer subspacecraft ground track. The elevation measurements will be quantized with 1.5 m vertical resolution before correction for orbit- and pointing induced errors. MOLA profiles will be assembled into a global 0.2 deg x 0.2 deg grid that will be referenced to Mars' center of mass with an absolute accuracy of approximately 30 m. Other data products will include a global grid of topographic gradients, corrected individual profiles, and a global 0.2 deg x 0.2 deg grid of 1064-nm surface reflectivity.read more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars
David E. Smith,Maria T. Zuber,Herbert Frey,James B. Garvin,James W. Head,Duane O. Muhleman,Gordon H. Pettengill,Roger J. Phillips,Sean C. Solomon,H. Jay Zwally,W. Bruce Banerdt,Thomas C. Duxbury,Matthew P. Golombek,Frank G. Lemoine,Gregory A. Neumann,David D. Rowlands,Oded Aharonson,Peter G. Ford,Anton B. Ivanov,Catherine L. Johnson,Patrick J. McGovern,James B. Abshire,Robert S. Afzal,Xiaoli Sun +23 more
TL;DR: The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) has been used to measure the topography, surface roughness, and 1.064-μm reflectivity of Mars and the heights of volatile and dust clouds as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Global Topography of Mars and Implications for Surface Evolution
David E. Smith,Maria T. Zuber,Maria T. Zuber,Sean C. Solomon,Roger J. Phillips,James W. Head,James B. Garvin,W. Bruce Banerdt,Duane O. Muhleman,Gordon H. Pettengill,Gregory A. Neumann,Gregory A. Neumann,Frank G. Lemoine,James B. Abshire,Oded Aharonson,C. David,Brown,Steven A. Hauck,Anton B. Ivanov,Patrick J. McGovern,H. Jay Zwally,Thomas C. Duxbury +21 more
TL;DR: Elevations measured by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter have yielded a high-accuracy global map of the topography of Mars, which includes the low northern hemisphere, the Tharsis province, and the Hellas impact basin.
Journal ArticleDOI
Internal Structure and Early Thermal Evolution of Mars from Mars Global Surveyor Topography and Gravity
Maria T. Zuber,Maria T. Zuber,Sean C. Solomon,Roger J. Phillips,David E. Smith,G. Leonard Tyler,Oded Aharonson,Georges Balmino,W. Bruce Banerdt,James W. Head,Catherine L. Johnson,Frank G. Lemoine,Patrick J. McGovern,Gregory A. Neumann,Gregory A. Neumann,David D. Rowlands,Shijie Zhong +16 more
TL;DR: The strength of the lithosphere beneath the ancient southern highlands suggests that the northern hemisphere was a locus of high heat flow early in martian history and the thickness of the elastic lithosphere increases with time of loading in the northern plains and Tharsis.
Journal ArticleDOI
Coastal Geomorphology of the Martian northern plains
TL;DR: Parker et al. as mentioned in this paper considered the formation of the outflow channels and valley networks discovered on the Martian northern plains during the Mariner 9 mission and suggested that geological processes capable of producing similar morphologies on earth, lacustrine or marine deposition and subsequent periglacial modification offer the simplest and most consistent explanation for the suit of features found on Mars.
Journal ArticleDOI
Chloride-Bearing Materials in the Southern Highlands of Mars
M. M. Osterloo,Victoria E. Hamilton,Joshua L. Bandfield,Timothy D. Glotch,A. M. Baldridge,Philip R. Christensen,Livio L. Tornabene,F. S. Anderson +7 more
TL;DR: The identification of chlorides in the ancient southern highlands suggests that near-surface water was available and widespread in early Martian history.
References
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