High-resolution topography of Gusev crater using CTX data (Mars).

Abstract

High-resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of Mars are both limited and crucial for studying surface processes. The available DTMs generated from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) data offer limited resolution for working on a metre scale. The MER-A mission’s exploration of the Gusev crater was based on the data provided by MOLA and HRSC. However, with the introduction of the stereoscopic images obtained by the Context Camera (CTX) on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), it has been possible to generate topographic data with greater detail, significantly improving the MOLA and HRSC data. This has resulted in the generation of new DTMs with a resolution of ~5 m/pixel. Comparative analysis of these CTX DTMs with the MOLA and HRSC data provides an updated perspective of the Gusev topography and its geological features. The prominent advantage of using CTX stereo images lies in their wide coverage, as they have mapped 99.9% of the Martian surface. This wide coverage allows the creation of high-resolution models that will prove invaluable for future studies and missions.

Keywords

• crater
• Mars
• topography
• morphology
• Digital Terrain Model (DTM)