Dunes in Ganges Chasma

After the Odyssey spacecraft had completed a full Mars year of observations of the red planet Image of the Day looked back over this first mars year. Focus was on five themes: 1) the poles - with the seasonal changes seen in the retreat and expansion of the caps; 2) craters - with a variety of morphologies relating to impact materials and later alteration, both infilling and exhumation; 3) channels - the clues to liquid surface flow; 4) volcanic flow features; and 5) dunes. While some images have helped answer questions about the history of Mars, many have raised new questions that are still being investigated as Odyssey continues collecting data as it orbits Mars.
This daytime VIS image was collected on December 14, 2002 during the southern winter season in Ganges Chasma. At the bottom of the image is a finely layered deposit. A large sand sheet is also present, and is influenced by the local topography.