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Depth-to-Ice Map of a Southe
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| title |
Depth-to-Ice Map of a Southern Mars Site Near Melea Planum |
| Description |
Color coding in this map of a far-southern site on Mars indicates the change in nighttime ground-surface temperature between summer and fall. This site, like most of high-latitude Mars, has water ice mixed with soil near the surface. The ice is probably in a rock-hard frozen layer beneath a few centimeters or inches of looser, dry soil. The amount of temperature change at the surface likely corresponds to how close to the surface the icy material lies. The dense, icy layer retains heat better than the looser soil above it, so where the icy layer is closer to the surface, the surface temperature changes more slowly than where the icy layer is buried deeper. On the map, areas of the surface that cooled more slowly between summer and autumn (interpreted as having the ice closer to the surface) are coded blue and green. Areas that cooled more quickly (interpreted as having more distance to the ice) are coded red and yellow. The depth to the top of the icy layer estimated from these observations suggests that in some areas, but not others, water is being exchanged by diffusion between atmospheric water vapor and subsurface water ice. Differences in what type of material lies above the ice appear to affect the depth to the ice. The area in this image with the greatest seasonal change in surface temperature corresponds to an area of sand dunes. This map and its interpretation are in a May 3, 2007, report in the journal Nature by Joshua Bandfield of Arizona State University, Tempe. The Thermal Emission Imaging System camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter collected the data presented in the map. The site is centered near 67 degrees south latitude, 36.5 degrees east longitude, near a plain named Melea Planum. This site is within the portion of the planet where, in 2002, the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments on Mars Odyssey found evidence for water ice lying just below the surface. The information from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer is averaged over patches of ground hundreds of kilometers or miles wide. The information from the Thermal Emission Imaging System allows more than 100-fold higher resolution in mapping variations in the depth to ice. The Thermal Emission Imaging System observed the site in infrared wavelengths during night time, providing surface-temperature information. It did so once on Dec. 27, 2005, during late summer in Mars' southern hemisphere, and again on Jan. 22, 2006, the first day of autumn there. The colors on this map signify relative differences in how much the surface temperature changed between those two observations. Blue indicates the locations with the least change. Red indicates areas with most change. Modeling provides estimates that the range of temperature changes shown in this map corresponds to a range in depth-to-ice of less than 1 centimeter (0.4 inch) to more than 19 centimeters (more than 7.5 inches). The sensitivity of this method for estimating the depth is not good for depths greater than about 20, centimeters (8 inches). The temperature-change data are overlaid on a mosaic of black-and-white, daytime images taken in infrared wavelengths by the same camera, providing information about shapes in the landscape. The 20-kilometer scale bar is 12.4 miles long. Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU |
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Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arcti
…
| title |
Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arctic Site on Mars |
| Description |
Color coding in this map of a far-northern site on Mars indicates the change in nighttime ground-surface temperature between summer and fall. This site, like most of high-latitude Mars, has water ice mixed with soil near the surface. The ice is probably in a rock-hard frozen layer beneath a few centimeters or inches of looser, dry soil. The amount of temperature change at the surface likely corresponds to how close to the surface the icy material lies. The dense, icy layer retains heat better than the looser soil above it, so where the icy layer is closer to the surface, the surface temperature changes more slowly than where the icy layer is buried deeper. On the map, areas of the surface that cooled more slowly between summer and autumn (interpreted as having the ice closer to the surface) are coded blue and green. Areas that cooled more quickly (interpreted as having more distance to the ice) are coded red and yellow. The depth to the top of the icy layer estimated from these observations, as little as 5 centimeters (2 inches), matches modeling of where it would be if Mars has an active cycle of water being exchanged by diffusion between atmospheric water vapor and subsurface water ice. This map and its interpretation are in a May 3, 2007, report in the journal Nature by Joshua Bandfield of Arizona State University, Tempe. The Thermal Emission Imaging System camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter collected the data presented in the map. The site is centered near 67.5 degrees north latitude, 132 degrees east longitude, in the Martian arctic plains called Vastitas Borealis. It was formerly a candidate landing site for NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission. This site is within the portion of the planet where, in 2002, the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments on Mars Odyssey found evidence for water ice lying just below the surface. The information from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer is averaged over patches of ground hundreds of kilometers or miles wide. The information from the Thermal Emission Imaging System allows more than 100-fold higher resolution in mapping variations in the depth to ice. The Thermal Emission Imaging System observed the site in infrared wavelengths during night time, providing surface-temperature information, once on March 13, 2005, during summer in Mars' northern hemisphere, and again on April 8, 2005, during autumn there. The colors on this map signify relative differences in how much the surface temperature changed between those two observations. Blue indicates the locations with the least change. Red indicates areas with most change. Modeling provides estimates that the range of temperature changes shown in this map corresponds to a range in depth-to-ice of 5 centimeters (2 inches) to more than 18 centimeters (more than 7 inches). The sensitivity of this method for estimating the depth is not good for depths greater than about 20 centimeters (8 inches). The temperature-change data are overlaid on a mosaic of, black-and-white, daytime images taken in visible-light wavelengths by the same camera, providing information about shapes in the landscape. The 10-kilometer scale bar is 6.2 miles long. Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU |
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Cross-section of Icy Soil
| title |
Cross-section of Icy Soil |
| Description |
This diagram shows a possible configuration of ice-rich and dry soil in the upper meter (three feet) of Mars. The ice-rich soil was detected by the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments aboard NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Measurements indicate that the uppermost soil contains very little ice, while an ice-rich zone below contains 20 to 50 percent ice by mass. The depth of the ice-rich layer becomes shallower toward the south pole, as shown on the left of the diagram. The instruments detect the signature of hydrogen, indicating water ice, to a depth of about one meter (three feet). It is not known whether or how deep the ice-rich zone continues below that depth. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/Los Alamos National Laboratories |
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Artist's view of Odyssey det
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| title |
Artist's view of Odyssey detecting ice |
| Description |
This artist's rendering portrays ice-rich layers in the soils of Mars being detected by instruments aboard NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Measurements by the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments indicate that the upper meter (three feet) of soil contains an ice-rich zone with an ice abundance of 20 to 50 percent by mass. The ice-rich areas surround the polar regions of Mars, down to latitudes of about 60 degrees, in both the north and the south. The instruments detect the signature of hydrogen, indicating water ice, to a depth of about one meter (three feet). It is not known whether or how deep the ice-rich zone continues below that depth. The view of the spacecraft in this artist's rendering is not to scale, as the observations are obtained from an orbital altitude of 400 kilometers (250 miles). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/Los Alamos National Laboratories |
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HEND Maps of Epithermal Neut
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| title |
HEND Maps of Epithermal Neutrons |
| Description |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. These maps are based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer suite. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the purple and deep blue colors on the maps, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. Hydrogen in the far north is hidden at this time beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice). These observations were acquired during the first two months of mapping operations. Contours of topography are superimposed on these maps for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma- ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/Russian Avaition and Space Agency |
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HEND Maps of Fast Neutrons
| title |
HEND Maps of Fast Neutrons |
| Description |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in high-energy, or fast, neutrons. These maps are based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer suite. Fast neutrons, like epithermal neutrons, are sensitive to the presence of hydrogen. Unlike epithermal neutrons, however, they are not affected by the presence of carbon dioxide, which at the time of these observations covered the north polar area as 'dry ice' frost. The low flux of fast neutrons (blue and purple colors) in the north polar region suggests an abundance of hydrogen in the soil comparable to that determined in the south from the flux of epithermal neutrons. These observations were acquired during the first two months of mapping operations. Contours of topography are superimposed on these maps for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma- ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/Russian Aviation and Space Agency |
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North polar water ice by wei
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| title |
North polar water ice by weight December 8, 2003 |
| Description |
This map shows the percent of water by weight in near-surface materials of Mars' north polar region. It is derived from the gamma ray spectrometer component of the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Significant concentrations of water (greater than 20 percent) are poleward of 55 degrees north latitude. The highest concentration, greater than 50 percent, is between 75 degrees north and the pole. Another area with a high concentration of water by weight is in the north polar plains between longitudes minus 105 degrees and minus 140 degrees, and between latitudes 60 degrees and 75 degrees. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for the NASA Office of Space Science in Washington. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona ### |
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Water mass map from neutron
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| title |
Water mass map from neutron spectrometer December 8, 2003 |
| Description |
This map shows the estimated lower limit of the water content of the upper meter of Martian soil. The estimates are derived from the hydrogen abundance measured by the neutron spectrometer component of the gamma ray spectrometer suite on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The highest water-mass fractions, exceeding 30 percent to well over 60 percent, are in the polar regions, beyond about 60 degrees latitude north or south. Farther from the poles, significant concentrations are in the area bound in longitude by minus 10 degrees to 50 degrees and in latitude by 30 degrees south to 40 degrees north, and in an area to the south and west of Olympus Mons (30 degrees to 0 degrees south latitude and minus 135 degrees to 110 degrees longitude). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for the NASA Office of Space Science in Washington. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. Credit: NASA/JPL/Los Alamos National Laboratory ### |
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Artist's View of Odyssey Det
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PIA03804
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Artist's View of Odyssey Detecting Ice |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This artist's rendering portrays ice-rich layers in the soils of Mars being detected by instruments aboard NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Measurements by the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments indicate that the upper meter (three feet) of soil contains an ice-rich zone with an ice abundance of 20 to 50 percent by mass. The ice-rich areas surround the polar regions of Mars, down to latitudes of about 60 degrees, in both the north and the south. The instruments detect the signature of hydrogen, indicating water ice, to a depth of about one meter (three feet). It is not known whether or how deep the ice-rich zone continues below that depth. The view of the spacecraft in this artist's rendering is not to scale, as the observations are obtained from an orbital altitude of 400 kilometers (250 miles). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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HEND Maps of Epithermal Neut
…
PIA03808
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
HEND Maps of Epithermal Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. These maps are based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer suite. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the purple and deep blue colors on the maps, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. Hydrogen in the far north is hidden at this time beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice). These observations were acquired during the first two months of mapping operations. Contours of topography are superimposed on these maps for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Global Map of Epithermal Neu
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PIA03800
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Global Map of Epithermal Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. The deep blue areas in the polar regions are believed to contain up to 50 percent water ice in the upper one meter (three feet) of the soil. Hydrogen in the far north is hidden at this time beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice). Light blue regions near the equator contain slightly enhanced near-surface hydrogen, which is most likely chemically or physically bound because water ice is not stable near the equator. The view shown here is a map of measurements made during the first three months of mapping using the neutron spectrometer instrument, part of the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite. The central meridian in this projection is zero degrees longitude. Topographic features are superimposed on the map for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Polar Maps of Thermal and Ep
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PIA03802
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Polar Maps of Thermal and Epithermal Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show views of the polar regions of Mars in thermal neutrons (top) and epithermal neutrons (bottom). In these maps, deep blue indicates a low amount of neutrons, and red indicates a high amount. Thermal neutrons are sensitive to the presence of hydrogen and the presence of carbon dioxide, in this case "dry ice" frost. The red area in the upper right map indicates that about one meter (three feet) of carbon dioxide frost covers the surface around the north pole, as it does every Mars winter in the polar regions. An enhancement of thermal neutrons close to the south pole, seen as a light green color on the upper left map, indicates the presence of residual carbon dioxide in the south polar cap, even though the annual frost dissipated from that region during southern summer. Soil enriched with hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the epithermal maps (bottom), showing a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. The deep blue areas in the polar regions are believed to contain up to 50 percent water ice in the upper one meter (three feet) of the soil. The views shown here are of measurements made during the first three months of mapping using the neutron spectrometer instrument, part of the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite. Topographic features are superimposed on the map for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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HEND Maps of Fast Neutrons
PIA03807
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
HEND Maps of Fast Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in high-energy, or fast, neutrons. These maps are based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer suite. Fast neutrons, like epithermal neutrons, are sensitive to the presence of hydrogen. Unlike epithermal neutrons, however, they are not affected by the presence of carbon dioxide, which at the time of these observations covered the north polar area as "dry ice" frost. The low flux of fast neutrons (blue and purple colors) in the north polar region suggests an abundance of hydrogen in the soil comparable to that determined in the south from the flux of epithermal neutrons. These observations were acquired during the first two months of mapping operations. Contours of topography are superimposed on these maps for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Cross-Section of Icy Soil
PIA03803
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Cross-Section of Icy Soil |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This diagram shows a possible configuration of ice-rich and dry soil in the upper meter (three feet) of Mars. The ice-rich soil was detected by the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments aboard NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Measurements indicate that the uppermost soil contains very little ice, while an ice-rich zone below contains 20 to 50 percent ice by mass. The depth of the ice-rich layer becomes shallower toward the south pole, as shown on the left of the diagram. The instruments detect the signature of hydrogen, indicating water ice, to a depth of about one meter (three feet). It is not known whether or how deep the ice-rich zone continues below that depth. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Global Map of Thermal Neutro
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PIA03801
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Global Map of Thermal Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a global view of Mars in low energy, or thermal, neutrons. Thermal neutrons are sensitive to the presence of hydrogen and the presence of carbon dioxide, in this case "dry ice" frost. The red area at the top of the map indicates that about one meter (three feet) of carbon dioxide frost covers the surface, as it does every Mars winter in the polar regions. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of thermal neutrons. An enhancement of thermal neutrons close to the south pole, seen as a light green color, indicates the presence of residual carbon dioxide in the south polar cap, even though the annual frost dissipated from that region during southern summer. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arcti
…
PIA09335
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys
…
| Title |
Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arctic Site on Mars |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Color coding in this map of a far-northern site on Mars indicates the change in nighttime ground-surface temperature between summer and fall. This site, like most of high-latitude Mars, has water ice mixed with soil near the surface. The ice is probably in a rock-hard frozen layer beneath a few centimeters or inches of looser, dry soil. The amount of temperature change at the surface likely corresponds to how close to the surface the icy material lies. The dense, icy layer retains heat better than the looser soil above it, so where the icy layer is closer to the surface, the surface temperature changes more slowly than where the icy layer is buried deeper. On the map, areas of the surface that cooled more slowly between summer and autumn (interpreted as having the ice closer to the surface) are coded blue and green. Areas that cooled more quickly (interpreted as having more distance to the ice) are coded red and yellow. The depth to the top of the icy layer estimated from these observations, as little as 5 centimeters (2 inches), matches modeling of where it would be if Mars has an active cycle of water being exchanged by diffusion between atmospheric water vapor and subsurface water ice. This map and its interpretation are in a May 3, 2007, report in the journal "Nature", by Joshua Bandfield of Arizona State University, Tempe. The Thermal Emission Imaging System camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter collected the data presented in the map. The site is centered near 67.5 degrees north latitude, 132 degrees east longitude, in the Martian arctic plains called Vastitas Borealis. It was formerly a candidate landing site for NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission. This site is within the portion of the planet where, in 2002, the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments on Mars Odyssey found evidence for water ice lying just below the surface. The information from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer is averaged over patches of ground hundreds of kilometers or miles wide. The information from the Thermal Emission Imaging System allows more than 100-fold higher resolution in mapping variations in the depth to ice. The Thermal Emission Imaging System observed the site in infrared wavelengths during night time, providing surface-temperature information, once on March 13, 2005, during summer in Mars' northern hemisphere, and again on April 8, 2005, during autumn there. The colors on this map signify relative differences in how much the surface temperature changed between those two observations. Blue indicates the locations with the least change. Red indicates areas with most change. Modeling provides estimates that the range of temperature changes shown in this map corresponds to a range in depth-to-ice of 5 centimeters (2 inches) to more than 18 centimeters (more than 7 inches). The sensitivity of this method for estimating the depth is not good for depths greater than about 20 centimeters (8 inches). The temperature-change data are overlaid on a mosaic of black-and-white, daytime images taken in visible-light wavelengths by the same camera, providing information about shapes in the landscape. The 10-kilometer scale bar is 6.2 miles long. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System was developed by Arizona State University in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Depth-to-Ice Map of a Southe
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PIA09336
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys
…
| Title |
Depth-to-Ice Map of a Southern Mars Site Near Melea Planum |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Color coding in this map of a far-southern site on Mars indicates the change in nighttime ground-surface temperature between summer and fall. This site, like most of high-latitude Mars, has water ice mixed with soil near the surface. The ice is probably in a rock-hard frozen layer beneath a few centimeters or inches of looser, dry soil. The amount of temperature change at the surface likely corresponds to how close to the surface the icy material lies. The dense, icy layer retains heat better than the looser soil above it, so where the icy layer is closer to the surface, the surface temperature changes more slowly than where the icy layer is buried deeper. On the map, areas of the surface that cooled more slowly between summer and autumn (interpreted as having the ice closer to the surface) are coded blue and green. Areas that cooled more quickly (interpreted as having more distance to the ice) are coded red and yellow. The depth to the top of the icy layer estimated from these observations suggests that in some areas, but not others, water is being exchanged by diffusion between atmospheric water vapor and subsurface water ice. Differences in what type of material lies above the ice appear to affect the depth to the ice. The area in this image with the greatest seasonal change in surface temperature corresponds to an area of sand dunes. This map and its interpretation are in a May 3, 2007, report in the journal "Nature", by Joshua Bandfield of Arizona State University, Tempe. The Thermal Emission Imaging System camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter collected the data presented in the map. The site is centered near 67 degrees south latitude, 36.5 degrees east longitude, near a plain named Melea Planum. This site is within the portion of the planet where, in 2002, the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments on Mars Odyssey found evidence for water ice lying just below the surface. The information from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer is averaged over patches of ground hundreds of kilometers or miles wide. The information from the Thermal Emission Imaging System allows more than 100-fold higher resolution in mapping variations in the depth to ice. The Thermal Emission Imaging System observed the site in infrared wavelengths during night time, providing surface-temperature information. It did so once on Dec. 27, 2005, during late summer in Mars' southern hemisphere, and again on Jan. 22, 2006, the first day of autumn there. The colors on this map signify relative differences in how much the surface temperature changed between those two observations. Blue indicates the locations with the least change. Red indicates areas with most change. Modeling provides estimates that the range of temperature changes shown in this map corresponds to a range in depth-to-ice of less than 1 centimeter (0.4 inch) to more than 19 centimeters (more than 7.5 inches). The sensitivity of this method for estimating the depth is not good for depths greater than about 20 centimeters (8 inches). The temperature-change data are overlaid on a mosaic of black-and-white, daytime images taken in infrared wavelengths by the same camera, providing information about shapes in the landscape. The 20-kilometer scale bar is 12.4 miles long. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Map of Martian Polar Hydroge
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PIA04254
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Map of Martian Polar Hydrogen |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This gamma ray spectrometer map centered on the north pole of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element hydrogen. In this region, hydrogen is mainly in the form of water ice. Regions of high ice content are shown in red and those low in ice content are shown in blue. The very ice-rich region at the north pole is due to a permanent polar cap of water ice on the surface. Elsewhere in this region, the ice is buried under several to a few tens of centimeters of dry soil. The sub-surface ice is not uniformly distributed in the north, but varies with both latitude and longitude. In the north, the soil is well over 50 percent ice, which is more than can be accommodated by just filling the pore space in pre-existing soil. This high ice content implies that the ice may have been slowly co-deposited with dust in the past when conditions were wetter. Deposition of ice by this process means it is more likely that the ice deposits are very thick and may even be deep enough to have liquid water at their base. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, Colo., is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Map of Martian Thorium at Mi
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PIA04257
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This gamma ray spectrometer map of the mid-latitude region of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element thorium. Thorium is a naturally radioactive element that exists in rocks and soils in extremely small amounts. The region of highest thorium content, shown in red, is found in the northern part of Acidalia Planitia (50 degrees latitude, -30 degrees longitude). Areas of low thorium content, shown in blue, are spread widely across the planet with significant low abundances located to the north of Olympus Mons (near 55 degrees latitude, -155 degrees longitude), to the east of the Tharsis volcanoes (-10 degrees latitude, -80 degrees longitude) and to the south and east of Elysium Mons (20 degrees latitude, 160 degrees longitude). Contours of constant surface elevation are also shown. The long continuous contour line running from east to west marks the approximate separation of the younger lowlands in the north from the older highlands in the south. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, Colo., is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Map of Martian Iron at Mid-L
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PIA04253
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Map of Martian Iron at Mid-Latitudes |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This gamma ray spectrometer map of the mid-latitude region of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element iron. Iron, having the chemical symbol Fe, is among of the most abundant elements on the surface of both Mars and Earth. It is responsible for the red color on the surface of Mars. Regions of highest iron content, shown in red, are concentrated in the area spanning from Utopia Planitia to Amazonis Planitia (right and left sides of the map) and within Acidalia Planitia (just left of center). Contours of constant surface elevation are also shown. The long continuous contour line running from east to west marks the approximate separation of the younger lowlands in the north from the older highlands in the south. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, Colo., is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Map of Martian Silicon at Mi
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PIA04256
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Map of Martian Silicon at Mid-Latitudes |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This gamma ray spectrometer map of the mid-latitude region of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element silicon. Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on the surface of both Mars and Earth (second only to oxygen). The most extensive region of highest silicon content, shown in red, is located in the high latitudes north of Tharsis (centered near 45 degrees latitude, -120 degrees longitude). The area of lowest silicon content, shown in blue, lies just to the east of the Hellas Basin (-45 degrees latitude, 90 degrees longitude). Contours of constant surface elevation are also shown. The long continuous contour line running from east to west marks the approximate separation of the younger lowlands in the north from the older highlands in the south. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, Colo., is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Map of Martian Potassium at
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PIA04255
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Map of Martian Potassium at Mid-Latitudes |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This gamma ray spectrometer map of the mid-latitude region of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element potassium. Potassium, having the chemical symbol K, is a naturally radioactive element and is a minor constituent of rocks on the surface of both Mars and Earth. The region of highest potassium content, shown in red, is concentrated in the northern part of Acidalia Planitia (centered near 55 degrees N, -30 degrees). Several areas of low potassium content, shown in blue, are distributed across the mid-latitudes, with two significant low concentrations, one associated with the Hellas Basin (centered near 35 degrees S, 70 degrees) and the other lying southeast of Elysium Mons (centered near 10 degrees N, 160 degrees). Contours of constant surface elevation are also shown. The long continuous line running from east to west marks the approximate separation of the younger lowlands in the north from the older highlands in the south. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Odyssey/NS
PIA03744
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Odyssey/NS |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
These two views of Mars were made with data taken by the neutron spectrometer component of NASA's Mars Odyssey gamma ray spectrometer suite. These maps show epithermal neutron flux, which is sensitive to the amount of hydrogen present. The first view was made shortly after the Mars Odyssey science mission began in Feb. 2002, during late summer in the south. The magenta region in the south is due to large amounts of water ice buried a fraction of a meter beneath the surface. The amount of ice is approximately 60 percent by volume. At that time the buried ice in the north was not visible because it was covered with a thick cap of carbon dioxide (dry-ice) frost. The second view was made in November 2002 as Mars enters summer in the north. In this view the ice-rich regions in the north are now visible because the thick carbon dioxide frost has evaporated, and the ice-rich regions in the south are beginning to be obscured by the formation of wintertime seasonal frost. The ice content in the north is even greater than it is in the south, though it is not yet known by how much. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science in Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center,Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. |
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South Pole Neutron View
PIA03487
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
South Pole Neutron View |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft provided this view of the south pole of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. Soil enriched in hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the map, where a low intensity of epithermal neutrons is found. The view shown here of the south pole of Mars comes from measurements made during the first week of Mars Odyssey's mapping, in February 2002, using the neutron spectrometer instrument. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The neutron spectrometer was supplied by the Los Alamos National Laboratory,Los Alamos, N.M., and is one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite, which was supplied by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Seehttp://grs.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://grs.lpl.arizona.edu ] for more information. Odyssey mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Global Neutron View
PIA03486
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Global Neutron View |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey show a global view of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. Soil enriched in hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. The view shown here is a map of measurements made during the first week of mapping by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft in February 2002 using the neutron spectrometer instrument. The central meridian in this projection is zero degrees longitude. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The neutron spectrometer was supplied by the Los Alamos National Laboratory,Los Alamos, N.M., and is one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite, which was supplied by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Seehttp://grs.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://grs.lpl.arizona.edu ]for more information. Odyssey mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Global Map, High-Energy Neut
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PIA03489
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Global Map, High-Energy Neutrons |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
A high content of hydrogen in Mars' southern polar region is apparent in this global map of high-energy neutrons measured by the high-energy neutron detector on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The neutrons were measured by the medium detector (in counts per second)during the first week of mapping, in February 2002. Space background neutrons have been subtracted. The pixels are 10 degrees by 10 degrees. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The high-energy neutron detector was supplied by the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and is one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite, which was supplied by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Seehttp://grs.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://grs.lpl.arizona.edu ]for more information. Odyssey mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Southern Hemisphere Neutron
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PIA03488
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Southern Hemisphere Neutron Map |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey produced this high-energy neutron detector map of martian neutrons in the southern hemisphere. The blue region around the south pole indicates a high content of hydrogen in the upper 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) of the surface. The neutrons were measured by the medium detector (in counts per second)during the first week of mapping, in February 2002. The space background neutrons have been subtracted. The pixels are 10 by 10 degrees. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The high-energy neutron detector was supplied by the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and is one of the instruments in the gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite, which was supplied by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Seehttp://grs.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://grs.lpl.arizona.edu ] for more information. Odyssey mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Winter in Mars' North Polar
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PIA04595
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Winter in Mars' North Polar Region |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a wintertime view of the north polar region of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. The map is based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in Odyssey's gamma-ray spectrometer suite. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the purple and deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. The hydrogen is believed to be in the form of water ice. Much of the hydrogen is hidden at this time beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice). A shaded-relief rendition of topography is superimposed on this map for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and Institute for Space Research (IKI), which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Seasonal Frost Changes on Ma
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PIA04596
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Seasonal Frost Changes on Mars |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a comparison of wintertime (left) and summertime (right) views of the north polar region of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. The maps are based on data from the high-energy neutron detector, an instrument in Odyssey's gamma-ray spectrometer suite. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the purple and deep blue colors on the maps. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. The hydrogen is believed to be in the form of water ice. In some areas, the abundance of water ice is estimated to be up to 90% by volume. In winter, much of the hydrogen is hidden beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice). In the summer, the hydrogen is revealed because the carbon dioxide frost has dissipated. A shaded-relief rendition of topography is superimposed on these maps for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and Institute for Space Research (IKI), which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Summer in Mars' North Polar
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PIA04593
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Summer in Mars' North Polar Region |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft show a summertime view of the north polar region of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. The map is based on data acquired by the high-energy neutron detector, one of the instruments in Odyssey's gamma-ray spectrometer suite. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the purple and deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. The hydrogen is believed to be in the form of water ice. In some areas, the abundance of water ice is estimated to be up to 90 percent by volume. A shaded-relief rendition of topography is superimposed on this map for geographic reference. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and Institute for Space Research (IKI), which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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Water Mass Map from Neutron
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PIA04907
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
Water Mass Map from Neutron Spectrometer |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
December 8, 2003 This map shows the estimated lower limit of the water content of the upper meter of Martian soil. The estimates are derived from the hydrogen abundance measured by the neutron spectrometer component of the gamma ray spectrometer suite on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The highest water-mass fractions, exceeding 30 percent to well over 60 percent, are in the polar regions, beyond about 60 degrees latitude north or south. Farther from the poles, significant concentrations are in the area bound in longitude by minus 10 degrees to 50 degrees and in latitude by 30 degrees south to 40 degrees north, and in an area to the south and west of Olympus Mons (30 degrees to 0 degrees south latitude and minus 135 degrees to 110 degrees longitude). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for the NASA Office of Space Science in Washington. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. |
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North Polar Water Ice by Wei
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PIA04908
Sol (our sun)
Gamma Ray Spectrometer Suite
| Title |
North Polar Water Ice by Weight |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
December 8, 2003 This map shows the percent of water by weight in near-surface materials of Mars' north polar region. It is derived from the gamma ray spectrometer component of the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Significant concentrations of water (greater than 20 percent) are poleward of 55 degrees north latitude. The highest concentration, greater than 50 percent, is between 75 degrees north and the pole. Another area with a high concentration of water by weight is in the north polar plains between longitudes minus 105 degrees and minus 140 degrees, and between latitudes 60 degrees and 75 degrees. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for the NASA Office of Space Science in Washington. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. |
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