Context Camera (CTX) Image Mosaics for Mars Human Exploration Zones 5m

We have created 39 regional semi-controlled CTX mosaics at 5m/pixel for the 2015 proposed Mars Human Exploration zones. They are individually available for download in GeoTiff format from the "Online Linkage" tag below. Cosmetically, mosaics will have hard edges between images due to seasonal, time and calibration differences.

These regions were originally proposed during the Mars Human Exploration Zone meeting in October 2015. http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/explorationzone2015/.

The Context Camera (CTX) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a Facility Instrument (i.e., government-furnished equipment operated by a science team not responsible for design and fabrication) designed, built, and operated by Malin Space Science Systems and the MRO Mars Color Imager team (MARCI). CTX will (1) provide context images for data acquired by other MRO instruments, (2) observe features of interest to NASA's Mars Exploration Program (e.g., candidate landing sites), and (3) conduct a scientific investigation, led by the MARCI team, of geologic, geomorphic, and meteorological processes on Mars.

Reference: Malin, M. C., et al. (2007), Context Camera Investigation on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, J. Geophys. Res., 112, E05S04, doi:10.1029/2006JE002808.

Recommended citation: Hare, T.M., G. Cushing, J. Shinamen, B. Day, E. Law, 2016, Context Camera (CTX) Image Mosaics for Mars Human Exploration Zones, Astrogeology, U.S. Geological Survey, URL: http://bit.ly/CTX_EZs

Mimetype image/tiff Filename CTX_Human_EZ_sites_Oct2015.jpg Publisher USGS Astrogeology Science Center Publication Date 1 July 2016 Author USGS Astrogeology Science Center Originator USGS Astrogeology Science Center, NASA AMES, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Arizona State University Group MRCTR Added to Astropedia 13 July 2016 Modified 30 May 2019

General

Purpose CTX image mosaics were created to better characterize Mars sites for potential human exploration. They are available for individual download (see below) and for use within online mapping viewers like MarsTrek and JMars. This is also currently available as an OGC live mapping WMS service. address for WMS is: planetarymaps.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=/maps/mars/mars_simp_cyl_CTX.map Geospatial Data Presentation Form Regional Mosaic, Remote-sensing Data, Landing Site Map Edition 0.1 Online Linkage http://planetarymaps.usgs.gov/mosaic/Mars/CTX_EZs/ Native Data Set Environment ISIS v3, ESRI Arcinfo, GDAL Supplemental Information http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/explorationzone2015/, http://marstrek.jpl.nasa.gov/, http://jmars.mars.asu.edu/

Keywords

Contact and Distribution

Access Constraints None Use Constraints Public domain

Data Status and Quality

Time Period of Content Begin 1 June 2016 Time Period of Content End 1 July 2016 Currentness Reference Ground condition Progress In Work Update Frequency As needed Logical Consistency Report These CTX mosaics were not controlled to MOLA or the controlled THEMIS IR mosaics. They were only tied to each other in an attempt to align features across edges. Cosmetically, mosaics will have hard edges between images due to seasonal, time, and calibration differences. Completeness Report Some gaps may still exist in the individual mosaics due to true data gaps or missed images. Images also may contain clouds blurring part of the mosaic. Process Date 1 July 2016 Process Description The processing approach to generate the mosaics used the USGS digital cartographic system ISIS, Arizona State University's Davinci software, and Esri's ArcMap. Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS) to ingest images in an archival format and perform instrument-specific radiometric calibration and map project the images. Davinci was used to stretch the images using a running standrd devation to try to remove a ramped (smile) lightening effect in many of the CTX images. This was not always successful and thus mosaics will have hard edges. ArcMap was then used to create a virtual mosaic and then control the images (block adjustment) to each other in an attempt to align features across edges. These images were not controlled to a basemap (e.g. MOLA topographic data or THEMIS controlled mosaic). Horizontal Positional Accuracy Value 100 Entity and Attribute Detailed Description Mosaic built from map projected CTX images. Any orignal I/F values have been lost during the costmetic stretch.

Lineage

Source PDS Archive Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Source Originator Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) Source Publication Date 1 January 2016 Source Title CTX Experiment Data Record (EDR) Archive Source Online Linkage http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/portal/mro_mission.html Type of Source Media Online

Geospatial Information