Rabe Crater Dune Landscapes

Vis images showcasing the unique dune formations and complex floor of Rabe Crater, highlighting sand sheets, erosion patterns, and wind-driven shapes.

Kasei Vallis Mosaic

Today's VIS image shows part of the floor of Rabe Crater. Located in Noachis Terra, Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. Dunes cover the majority of this image of Rabe Crater. As the dunes are created by wind action the forms of the dunes record the wind direction. Dunes will have a long low angle component and a short high angle side. The steep side is called the slip face. The wind blows up the long side of the dune. In this VIS image the slip faces are illuminated more than the longer side. In this part of the crater the winds were generally moving from the lower right corner of the image towards the upper left. Craters of similar size as Rabe Crater often have flat floors. Rabe Crater has some areas of flat floor, but also has a large complex pit occupying a substantial part of the floor. The interior fill of the crater is thought to be layered sediments created by wind and or water action. The pit is eroded into this material. The eroded materials appear to have stayed within

The large sand sheet with surface dune forms seen in this VIS image is located on the complex floor of Rabe Crater. The sand is likely derived by erosion into the deposit that fills most of the crater floor, creating a pit which hosts the dunes. This crater morphology is unique to Rabe Crater. Rabe Crater is located in Noachis Terra and is 108km in diameter (67 miles). Orbit Number 82800 Latitude -43.81 Longitude 34.5453 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-08-14 00 54

Arsia Mons

Terra Sabaea Channels. Today's VIS image shows multiple channel systems located in northern Terra Sabaea. Two of the channels are named Hypsas Vallis and Clanis Valles, visible in the lower half of the image. Clanis Valles is 54km long (33 miles), while Hypsas Vallis is only 33km long (20 miles). Orbit Number 93967 Latitude 33.912 Longitude 58.1199 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-02-19 13 57 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25937

Kasei Vallis Mosaic

One of the most active agent of erosion on Mars today is the wind. This region, near Nicholson crater, has been sculpted by untold years of blowing grit and wind, as shown in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey.

Innumerable lava flows from Arsia Mons make up the volcanic plains called Daedalia Planum as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey.

This image shows a slice of the floor of Russell Crater. Russell Crater is located in Noachis Terra. The spectacular dune ridge and other dune forms on the crater floor have caused extensive imaging. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and

Tantalus Fossae. Today's VIS image shows a portion of Tantalus Fossae. The linear features are tectonic graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Numerous sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The large number of graben around Alba Mons is generally believed to be the result of extensional forces associated with the uplift of the volcano. Tantalus Fossae i

Southern Spring

This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a system of clouds just off the margin of the South Polar cap. Taken during the summer season, these clouds contain both water-ice and dust.

The sinuous channel at the bottom of this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is called Anio Valles.

Active Processes: Bright Streaks and Dark Fans

Arcuate Collapse

The muted terrain of northern Acidalia Planitia, as seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, testifies to the fact that the region is heavily mantled with dust.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows layering in the south polar cap.

Marte Vallis is a lava channel. The image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows the darker lava of Marte Vallis within the brighter surrounding materials. Platy flow texture is common in Marte Vallis.

These Mars Odyssey images show the 'White Rock' feature on Mars in both infrared (left) and visible (right) wavelengths. 'White Rock' is the unofficial name for this landform that was first observed during NASA's Mariner 9 mission in the early 1970's.

The depressions in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey likely formed due to both volcanic and tectonic forces. Tectonic forces likely account for some of the depressions, while collapse into lava tubes and lava flow erosion account for the remainder.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows another portion of Angustus Labyrinthus near the location of yesterday's image.

Looking at yet another portion of Utopia Planitia, NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft still find hundreds of dust devil tracks.

Biblis Patera

. Maumee Valles. The channels that dissect the center of the VIS image are called Maumee Valles. The much larger Maja Valles is located at the very bottom of the image. The channels in this region are flowing from the highlands of Lunae Planum into the lowlands of Chryse Planitia. Maumee Valles is 390km (242 miles) long. Orbit Number 94227 Latitude 18.6849 Longitude 304.703 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-03-12 23 02

This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a spectacular landslide along a portion of the southern wall of Ganges Chasma within Valles Marineris. Landslides have very characteristic morphologies on Earth, which they also display on Mars.

Large Craters in Callisto's Southern Hemisphere

The linear depressions at the top of the VIS image are some of the graben that comprise Cerberus Fossae. Graben form where extensional tectonic forces allows blocks of material to subside between paired faults. Cerberus Fossae are located in Elysium Planitia, southeast of the Elysium Mons volcanic complex. The graben were also the source of significant volcanic flows, creating the deposits seen at the lower part of the image. Orbit Number 77985 Latitude 9.97726 Longitude 157.285 Instrument VIS Captured 2019-07-14 14 21

Sand dunes located on the floor of McLaughlin Crater as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

The two windstreaks in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on volcanic flows southeast of Jovis Tholus.

Today's VIS image is located on the summit of Ascraeus Mons, one of the three large Tharsis region volcanoes. Orbit Number 77470 Latitude 11.1614 Longitude 256.126 Instrument VIS Captured 2019-06-02 04 32

This field of sand dunes occurs within Chasma Borealis

This image illustrates the variety of textures that appear in the south polar region during late summer

Splotchy water ice clouds obscure the surface in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, however, most of Mars was in a relatively clear period when this image was acquired.

This 2001 Mars Odyssey image shows windstreaks located on the Syrtis Major Volcanic complex.

Today's VIS image shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the three large aligned volcanoes in the Tharsis region. Arsia Mons' last eruption was 10s of million years ago. The different surface textures are created by differences in the lava viscosity and cooling rates. The lobate margins of each flow can be traced back to the start of each flow or to the point where they are covered by younger flows. Flows in Daedalia Planum can be as long as 180 km (111 miles). For comparison the longest Hawaiian lava flow is only 51 km (~31 miles) long. The total area of Daedalia Planum is 2.9 million square km more than four times the size of Texas. Orbit Number 84353 Latitude -22.909 Longitude 236.007 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-12-19 21 40

This VIS image shows a small portion of the vast lava fields called Daedalia Planum. These flows originated from Arsia Mons, the southernmost and youngest of the three aligned Tharis volcanoes. Different surface textures arise from different factors in the flows, such as temperature, flow volume, composition and cooling rates. Orbit Number 79018 Latitude -22.1992 Longitude 238.021 Instrument VIS Captured 2019-10-07 15 42

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small portion of Olympia Undae, the largest dune field near the north polar cap.

Polar Layers

This VIS image shows sand sheets in two unnamed craters located in Noachis Terra. Both sand sheets have dune forms on the surface of the sand sheet. These craters are close to Matara Crater, which also contains a large sand sheet with surface dune forms. Orbit Number 84572 Latitude -48.5416 Longitude 34.0463 Instrument VIS Captured 2021-01-06 22 34

The many channels in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are volcanic collapse features on the southern flank of Ascraeus Mons.

. Alba Fossae. Alba Fossae is a set of long valleys on the western side of Alba Mons. These valleys are referred to as graben and are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Numerous sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The large number of graben around Alba Patera is generally believed to be the result of extensional forces associated with the uplift of Alba Mons. Numero

Interior Layered Deposits in Juventae Chasma

Elysium Fossae. Today's VIS image contains a section of one of the many channel forms found radial to the Elysium Mons volcanic complex. In this case the fossae are located to the west of Elysium Mons. Elysium Fossae are comprised of both linear and sinuous channels, usually interpreted to have both fluid and tectonic forces playing a part in the formation. The linear depression resembles a graben (formed by tectonic forces) and sinuous channels more closely resembles features caused by fluid flow - either lava or water created by melting subsurface ice due to volcanic heating. The Elysium Fossae system is 1044 km (649 miles) in length. Orbit Number 93802 Latitude 27.5316 Longitude 137.172 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-02-05 23 55 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25901

These dunes in Richardson Crater are still frost covered in this image captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey. As spring deepens the frost will sublimate and the dark dunes will appear.

Martian Particle

Kaiser Crater Dune Field

Looking Closely at 'Yuri'

In the lee of this unnamed crater there are no dunes, but numerous dust devil tracks. Dunes surround the crater, except for the lee area, as shown in image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Today's VIS image shows a section of Scamander Vallis. Scamander Vallis is located in northern Terra Sabaea. The channel is 269km (167 miles) long. Orbit Number 87598 Latitude 14.9414 Longitude 28.9915 Instrument VIS Captured 2021-09-13 03 03

Mars Radar Opens a Planet's Third Dimension

Wind is one of the most active processes on Mars today. This image was taken near Hooke Crater on the margin of Argyre Planitia. Wind is moving along the surface between the hills and valleys of the crater ejecta, picking up the surface dust and leaving the dust free darker rock exposed. Orbit Number 42358 Latitude -47.7019 Longitude 317.797 Instrument VIS Captured 2011-07-03 00 45

This image of Moreux Crater shows part of the central peak and sand dunes on the crater floor surrounding the peak. The crater rim is at the bottom right of this image. The lower elevations of the central peak are visible at the top left corner of the image. The part of the peak with a pitted surface texture has been interpreted to be created by glacial flows. Moreux Crater is located in northern Arabia Terra and has a diameter of 138 kilometers. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that en

Exposure of Polar Layered Deposits

The majority of the dune field in Rabe Crater consists of a sand sheet with dune forms on the surface. The sand sheet is where a thick layer of sand has been concentrated. As continued winds blow across the sand surface it creates dune forms. The depth of the sand sheet prevents excavation to the crater floor and the dune forms all appear connected. Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. Craters of similar size often have flat floors. Rabe Crater has some areas of flat floor, but also has a large complex pit occupying a substantial part of the floor. The interior fill of the crater is thought to be layered sediments created by wind and or water action. The pit is eroded into this material. The eroded materials appear to have stayed within the crater forming a large sand sheet with surface dune forms as well as individual dunes where the crater floor is visible. The dunes also appear to be moving from the upper floor level into the pit. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years i

Small, dark dunes are found on the floor of this crater near Meridiani Planum in this 2001 Mars Odyssey THEMIS VIS image.

This VIS image shows the two channel segments of Nirgal Vallis that join just off the image to the east (right). Arising in Noachis Terra, the eastward flowing Nirgal Vallis is 610 km long and empties into Uzboi Vallis. Orbit Number 81561 Latitude -27.4288 Longitude 314.736 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-05-04 01 02

Aeolis Planum

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows more of the weathering of the eastern side of Mt. Sharp.

Mosaic of River Channel and Ridge Area on Titan

This VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. The cap was created over millions of years with deposition of ice and dust during different seasons, creating the layering seen in the image. This image was taken during the summer season at the south pole. The south polar cap of Mars is called Australe Planum. Orbit Number 83764 Latitude -84.2566 Longitude 154.375 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-11-01 10 09

Near-Terminator Image of Europa

This image shows individual dunes on the floor of Russell Crater. These dunes are in the southern part of the dune field. Russell Crater is located in Noachis Terra. A spectacular dune ridge and other dune forms on the crater floor have caused extensive imaging. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tha

Opportunity's View After Drive on Sol 1806 (Polar)

On the Rim of 'Victoria Crater' (Vertical Projection)

Not Only Ice

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft crosses both Tithonium and Ius Chasma.

Kasei Valles Flow

Opportunity's Surroundings on Sol 1798 (Polar)

Spirit's View on Sol 148

This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected at the very end of north polar spring. As the season changes into summertime, the dune crests have lost all the winter frosts completely revealing the darker sand beneath. The density of dunes and the alignments of the dune crests varies with location, controlled by the amount of available sand and the predominant winds over time. Olympia Undae is a vast dune field in the north polar region of Mars. It consists of a broad sand sea or erg that partly rings the north polar cap from about 120° to 240°E longitude and 78° to 83°N latitude. The dune field covers an area of approximately 470,000 km2 (bigger than California, smaller than Texas). Olympia Undae is the largest continuous dune field on Mars. Olympia Undae is not the only dune field near the north polar cap, several other smaller fields exist in the same latitude, but in other ranges of longitude, e.g. Abolos and Siton Undae. Barchan and transverse dune forms are the most common. In reg

During southern summer, clouds are a common occurrence over the south polar cap. These dust clouds started as small dust devils visible near the top right corner of this VIS image. Orbit Number 74905 Latitude -86.5764 Longitude 176.548 Instrument VIS Captured 2018-11-02 22 20

Today's VIS image shows a small section of Mangala Valles. Mangala Valles is a complex channel more than 900km long (560 miles). The channel system starts near Mangala Fossae, a large tectonic feature that intersects the volcanic plains of Daedalia Planum. Like other channels in the region, Mangala Valles flows northward, eventually emptying into southern Amazonis Planitia. Visible at the top of the image are tear-drop shaped hills within the channel. These features are called streamlined islands and the narrow tail points down stream. Orbit Number 84304 Latitude -16.0319 Longitude 210.534 Instrument VIS Captured 2020-12-15 20 48

As NASA's Cassini spacecraft sped away from Titan following a relatively close flyby, its cameras monitored the moon's northern polar region, capturing signs of renewed cloud activity.

This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows layering in the south polar cap.

Olympia Undae. This VIS image of Olympia Undae was collected at the start of north polar spring. The dune crests have not yet lost the winter frosts, which still cover the dark sand beneath. The density of dunes and the alignments of the dune crests varies with location, controlled by the amount of available sand and the predominant winds over time. Olympia Undae is a vast dune field in the north polar region of Mars. It consists of a broad sand sea or erg that partly rings the north polar cap from about 120° to 240°E longitude and 78° to 83°N latitude. The dune field covers an area of approximately 470,000 km2 (bigger than California, smaller than Texas). Olympia Undae is the largest continuous dune field on Mars. Olympia Undae is not the only dune field near the north polar cap, several other smaller fields exist in the same latitude, but in other ranges of longitude, e.g. Abolos and Siton Undae. Barchan and transverse dune forms are the most common. In regions with limited available

First 'Best-Guess' View of Huygens Landing Site

This image shows a large impact on Jupiter's south polar region captured on July 20, 2009, by NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. Craters of similar size often have flat floors. Rabe Crater has some areas of flat floor, but also has a large complex pit occupying a substantial part of the floor. The interior fill of the crater is thought to be layered sediments created by wind and or water action. The pit is eroded into this material. The eroded materials appear to have stayed within the crater forming a large sand sheet with surface dune forms as well as individual dunes where the crater floor is visible. The dunes also appear to be moving from the upper floor level into the pit. In this VIS image the rim of the pit is visible near the top of the image. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the ye

On the Cutting Edge

The Little Red Spot: Closest View Yet

Changes in Jupiter's Great Red Spot After Four Months

This mosaic shows the features of Jupiter's main visible cloud deck and upper-tropospheric haze, with higher features enhanced in brightness over lower features as seen by NASA's Galileo orbiter on February 19, 1997.

Enceladus Oct. 9, 2008 Flyby - Posted Image #4

The outer rings of Uranus are visible in this image, obtained by NASA's Voyager 2 on Jan. 23, 1986. The outermost and brightest ring, called epsilon, is visible along with the fainter and narrower delta and gamma rings (from left).

Infrared Images of Saturn's Poles

This image displays sand dunes within Proctor Crater. These dunes are composed of basaltic sand that has collected in the bottom of the crater. The topographic depression of the crater forms a sand trap that prevents the sand from escaping. Dune fields are common in the bottoms of craters on Mars and appear as dark splotches that lean up against the downwind walls of the craters. Dunes are useful for studying both the geology and meteorology of Mars. The sand forms by erosion of larger rocks, but it is unclear when and where this erosion took place on Mars or how such large volumes of sand could be formed. The dunes also indicate the local wind directions by their morphology. In this case, there are few clear slipfaces that would indicate the downwind direction. The crests of the dunes also typically run north-south in the image. This dune form indicates that there are probably two prevailing wind directions that run east and west (left to right and right to left). Orbit Number 82145 L

Mamers Valles. Today's VIS image shows a section of Mamers Valles where it enters into Ismenius Cavus. The channel is nearly 1000 km long (600 miles). Mamers Valles originates near Cerulli Crater in northern Arabia Terra, and after a short section near the crater where flow is to the south, flows northward to empty in Deuteronilus Mensae. The steep walls of Mamers Valles can reach heights of 1200 m (4000 feet). Orbit Number 93619 Latitude 33.35 Longitude 17.3572 Instrument VIS Captured 2023-01-21 22 16 https //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25872

Northern Plains

Spirit's Surroundings on 'West Spur,' Sol 305 (Polar)

A large sand sheet with surface dune forms covers the floor of this unnamed northern crater, as shown in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Meandering Tracks on Husband

NASA's Opportunity had driven 72.3 meters southward (237 feet) that sol. Engineers drove the rover backward as a strategy to counteract an increase in the amount of current drawn by the drive motor of the right-front wheel. This is a polar projection.

Back by popular demand: THEMIS ART IMAGE #73 These north polar dunes look odd -- like a plant, or fossil, or some alien creature

On Jan. 23, 1986, NASA's Voyager 2 discovered a tenth ring orbiting Uranus. The tenth ring is about midway between the bright, outermost epsilon ring and the next ring down, called delta.

Clouds in Saturn's atmosphere create an intricate pattern reminiscent of whipped cream swirling in coffee in this image captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

Opportunity's Surroundings on Sol 1818 (Polar)

During its very close flyby of Enceladus on March 9, 2005, NASA's Cassini spacecraft took images of parts of the icy moon. This scene is an icy landscape that has been scored by tectonic forces. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

As the season changes from spring to summer, the dunes surrounding the north polar cap become darker and darker as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft snags a close-up view of the shadow cast onto Saturn's A ring by the moon Epimetheus as the planet approached its August 2009 equinox.

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