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Published February 10, 1990 | Published
Journal Article Open

Color and Albedo of the South Polar Layered Deposits on Mars

Abstract

Five color/albedo units, including polar frost, have been recognized and mapped in the southern layered deposits on Mars. Atmospheric dust scattering was measured in shadows and modeled in order to remove the component of brightness in Mars images due to the atmosphere and quantify the albedo and color of the surface. The layered deposits appear to be mantled by red dust, except where eolian stripping has exposed the underlying bedrock. Frost and bare ground are mixed below the resolution of the images in many areas adjacent to the polar cap, some of which appear to be younger than the surrounding layered terrain. Dark material has been deposited in topographic depressions in much of the south polar region, including the layered deposits. The available observational data suggest that the layered deposits are composed of bright dust, ice, and a small amount of dark material. If the dark material is sand, a periodic change in polar winds seems required in order to transport the sand poleward into the layered terrain. In any case, the observations are not consistent with the layered deposits being composed only of bright dust and ice. The Mars observer camera and infrared instruments should be particularly useful in this investigation

Additional Information

© 1990 by the American Geophysical Union. Received September 19, 1988; revised April 6, 1989; accepted April 6, 1989. Tammy Becker and Larry Soderblom at the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff made helpful suggestions and created the Viking color mosaic that made much of this work possible. We also thank Yuk Yung for allowing us to use his RADIATE program, Mark Allen for his assistance in modifying and implementing it, and Andrew Ingersoll and David Crisp for helpful discussions. Detailed reviews by Alfred McEwen and Peter Thomas are also appreciated. This work was supported by NASA grants NGT-50096 and NAGW-1226. Contribution 4713 of the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences.

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August 19, 2023
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