Updated
Updated · European Space Agency · Jul 15
ESA Mars Express Reveals Wind-Blown Dunes in Kaiser Crater With 3D View Covering 40%
Updated
Updated · European Space Agency · Jul 15

ESA Mars Express Reveals Wind-Blown Dunes in Kaiser Crater With 3D View Covering 40%

3 articles · Updated · European Space Agency · Jul 15

Summary

  • ESA released a new Mars Express view of wind-blown sand dunes in Kaiser Crater, showing a dark rippled field that covers about 40% of the frame.
  • The image was generated from a digital terrain model and the nadir and colour channels of the orbiter’s High Resolution Stereo Camera, giving the scene a three-dimensional look.
  • Smaller craters, rough dusty terrain and a lighter ridge along the top of the image frame the dune field and highlight the crater’s varied surface.
  • The release builds on earlier Mars Express imagery of Kaiser Crater, adding a more detailed look at how wind shapes sand across the Martian landscape.

Insights

Is 3D Mars imagery a scientific tool or just a captivating public spectacle?
Since 19th-century tech reveals Mars in 3D, what will VR show us next?
How can Martian winds, in a near-vacuum, build dunes that rival Earth's?