Cloud-Ground Interaction

Scaled Image

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

About this image

The atmosphere of Mars is a dynamic system. Water-ice clouds, fog, and hazes can make imaging the surface from space difficult. Dust storms can grow from local disturbances to global sizes, through which imaging is impossible. Seasonal temperature changes are the usual drivers in cloud and dust storm development and growth.
Eons of atmospheric dust storm activity has left its mark on the surface of Mars. Dust carried aloft by the wind has settled out on every available surface; sand dunes have been created and moved by centuries of wind; and the effect of continual sand-blasting has modified many regions of Mars, creating yardangs and other unusual surface forms. This image of the North Polar water-ice clouds shows how surface topography can affect the linear form. Notice that a crater just beyond the bottom of the image is causing a deflection in the linear form.

Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. 

Context

Image ID: 
V10869009 (View data in Mars Image Explorer)
68.4277
100.749
10869
2004-05-27 01:19
Wed, 2004-06-30
VIS
512 pixels (20 km)
7584 pixels (299 km)
0.039469 km/pixel
0.039755 km/pixel

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