NASA/HiRISE Archives - Astrobiology

A field of sand dunes in the Martian springtime -- NASA

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Defrosting Dunes On Mars

by Keith CowingApril 30, 2024April 30, 2024

This image shows a field of sand dunes in the Martian springtime while the seasonal carbon dioxide frost is sublimating into the air. This sublimation process is not at all […]

A giant volcano hiding in plain sight in one of Mars’ most iconic regions. The newly discovered giant volcano on Mars is located just south of the planet’s equator, in Eastern Noctis Labyrinthus, west of Valles Marineris, the planet’s vast canyon system. The volcano sits on the eastern edge of a broad regional topographic rise called Tharsis, home to three other well-known giant volcanoes: Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons. Although more eroded and less high than these giants, the newly discovered volcano rivals the others in diameter, which is about 450 km (280 miles) (red dashed circle in this picture). Possible buried glacier ice is also reported under a relatively recent volcanic deposit within the perimeter of the eroded volcano, making the area attractive for the search for life and future robotic and human exploration. (Credit: Background image: NASA/USGS Mars globe. Geologic interpretation and annotations by Pascal Lee and Sourabh Shubham 2024).

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

Giant Volcano Discovered On Mars

by Keith CowingMarch 13, 2024March 13, 2024

A deeply eroded giant volcano, active from ancient through recent times and with possible remnants of glacier ice near its base, had been hiding near Mars’ equator in plain sight. […]

Topographic map of Utopia Planitia, showing the landing sites of the Zhurong rover, the Viking 2 lander and the Perseverance rover. The −4 km elevation contour is shown.representative HiRISE images of polygons in Utopia Planitia whose locations (d), PSP_002162_2260 (e) and PSP_003177_2275 Credit for HiRISE images: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

Astrogeology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

Zhurong Radar Detects Buried Polygons Beneath Utopia Planitia On Mars

by Keith CowingDecember 21, 2023September 18, 2025

A joint research team led by the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) has reported the discovery of buried palaeo-polygonal terrain beneath Utopia Planitia […]

This image taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter shows an oblique view focusing on one of the vast lava flows in Elysium Planitia.ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

Recent Volcanism On Mars Reveals A Planet More Active Than Previously Thought

by Keith CowingDecember 20, 2023December 20, 2023

A vast, flat, “featureless” plain on Mars surprised researchers by revealing a much more tumultuous geologic past than expected, according to a study led by researchers at the University of […]

Mars

Ice in a Chlorite-Bearing Cliff in Northwest Hellas On Mars

by Keith CowingFebruary 27, 2022

A south-facing escarpment in the northwest Hellas region that was targeted for phyllosilicates (this includes clay minerals) shows instances of bluish rock in this enhanced color image. CRISM spectra of […]

Oxia Planum landing site candidate for the ExoMars 2020 mission

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Tricorders & Sensors

Landing Site Selected For UK ExoMars Rover Rosalind Franklin

by Keith CowingNovember 13, 2018April 13, 2024

A group of scientists and engineers in Leicester has recommended Oxia Planum as the best landing site for the British-built Mars rover “Rosalind Franklin.”