A Nine Kilometer Impact Crater and Its Central Peak
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
A Nine Kilometer Impact Crater and Its Central Peak
ESP_048173_1930  Science Theme: Geologic Contacts/Stratigraphy
This image reveals an impact crater, 9 kilometers in diameter, with a central peak. Impact craters of various sizes and ages can be found across the Martian surface. Each impact crater on Mars possesses a unique origin and composition, which makes the HiRISE team very interested in sampling as many of them as possible!

Like the impact of a droplet into fluid, once an impact has occurred on the surface of Mars, an ejecta curtain forms immediately after, contributing to the raised rim visible at the top of the crater’s walls. After the formation of the initial crater, if it is large enough, then a central peak appears as the surface rebounds. These central peaks can expose rocks that were previously deeply buried beneath the Martian surface.

The blue and red colors in this enhanced-contrast image reflect the effects of post-impact sedimentation and weathering over time.

Written by: Ayanna Jones and James Wray (narration: Tre Gibbs)  (8 February 2017)
 
Acquisition date
05 November 2016

Local Mars time
14:50

Latitude (centered)
13.035°

Longitude (East)
346.005°

Spacecraft altitude
279.7 km (173.9 miles)

Original image scale range
28.0 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~84 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
25 cm/pixel and North is up

Map projection
Equirectangular

Emission angle
2.3°

Phase angle
54.1°

Solar incidence angle
56°, with the Sun about 34° above the horizon

Solar longitude
255.3°, Northern Autumn

For non-map projected images
North azimuth:  97°
Sub-solar azimuth:  323.7°
JPEG
Black and white
map projected  non-map

IRB color
map projected  non-map

Merged IRB
map projected

Merged RGB
map projected

RGB color
non-map projected

JP2
Black and white
map-projected   (758MB)

IRB color
map-projected   (428MB)

JP2 EXTRAS
Black and white
map-projected  (348MB)
non-map           (404MB)

IRB color
map projected  (136MB)
non-map           (358MB)

Merged IRB
map projected  (185MB)

Merged RGB
map-projected  (177MB)

RGB color
non map           (352MB)
BONUS
4K (TIFF)
8K (TIFF)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
B&W label
Color label
Merged IRB label
Merged RGB label
EDR products
HiView

NB
IRB: infrared-red-blue
RGB: red-green-blue
About color products (PDF)

Black & white is 5 km across; enhanced color about 1 km
For scale, use JPEG/JP2 black & white map-projected images

USAGE POLICY
All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

POSTSCRIPT
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.