Ultrahigh resolution topographic mapping of Mars with MRO HiRISE stereo images: Meter-scale slopes of candidate Phoenix landing sites

Kirk, R. L.; Howington-Kraus, E.; Rosiek, M. R.; Anderson, J. A.; Archinal, B. A.; Becker, K. J.; Cook, D. A.; Galuszka, D. M.; Geissler, P. E.; Hare, T. M.; Holmberg, I. M.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Redding, B. L.; Delamere, W. A.; Gallagher, D.; Chapel, J. D.; Eliason, E. M.; King, R.; McEwen, A. S.

Abstract:

The objectives of this paper are twofold: first, to report our estimates of the meter-to-decameter-scale topography and slopes of candidate landing sites for the Phoenix mission, based on analysis of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images with a typical pixel scale of 3 m and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images at 0.3 m pixel^-1 and, second, to document in detail the geometric calibration, software, and procedures on which the photogrammetric analysis of HiRISE data is based. A combination of optical design modeling, laboratory observations, star images, and Mars images form the basis for software in the U.S. Geological Survey Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS) 3 system that corrects the images for a variety of distortions with single-pixel or subpixel accuracy. Corrected images are analyzed in the commercial photogrammetric software SOCET SET (??BAE Systems), yielding digital topographic models (DTMs) with a grid spacing of 1 m (3-4 pixels) that require minimal interactive editing. Photoclinometry yields DTMs with single-pixel grid spacing. Slopes from MOC and HiRISE are comparable throughout the latitude zone of interest and compare favorably with those where past missions have landed successfully; only the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) B site in Meridiani Planum is smoother. MOC results at multiple locations have root-mean-square (RMS) bidirectional slopes of 0.8-4.5?? at baselines of 3-10 m. HiRISE stereopairs (one per final candidate site and one in the former site) yield 1.8-2.8?? slopes at 1-m baseline. Slopes at 1 m from photoclinometry are also in the range 2-3?? after correction for image blur. Slopes exceeding the 16?? Phoenix safety limit are extremely rare. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

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Article

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70034779

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Kirk, R. L.; Howington-Kraus, E.; Rosiek, M. R.; Anderson, J. A.; Archinal, B. A.; Becker, K. J.; Cook, D. A.; Galuszka, D. M.; Geissler, P. E.; Hare, T. M.; Holmberg, I. M.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Redding, B. L.; Delamere, W. A.; Gallagher, D.; Chapel, J. D.; Eliason, E. M.; King, R.; McEwen, A. S.

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English

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Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets

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Ultrahigh resolution topographic mapping of Mars with MRO HiRISE stereo images: Meter-scale slopes of candidate Phoenix landing sites; 2009; Article; Journal; Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets; Kirk, R. L.; Howington-Kraus, E.; Rosiek, M. R.; Anderson, J. A.; Archinal, B. A.; Becker, K. J.; Cook, D. A.; Galuszka, D. M.; Geissler, P. E.; Hare, T. M.; Holmberg, I. M.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Redding, B. L.; Delamere, W. A.; Gallagher, D.; Chapel, J. D.; Eliason, E. M.; King, R.; McEwen, A. S.