An Overview of the Topography of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA)

Details An Overview of the Topography of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) An Overview of the Topography of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA)

Aug 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000mpse.conf..159s&link_type=abstract

International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration, p. 159

Computer Science

Planetary Mapping, Mars Surface, Mars (Planet), Topography, Elevation, Mars Global Surveyor, Relief Maps, Polar Regions, Clouds (Meteorology)

Scientific paper

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft has now completed more than half of its one-Mars-year mission to globally map Mars. During the MGS elliptical and circular orbit mapping phases, the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), an instrument on the MGS payload, has collected over 300 million precise elevation measurements. MOLA measures the range from the MGS spacecraft to the Martian surface and to atmospheric reflections. Range is converted to topography through knowledge of the MGS spacecraft orbit. Ranges from MOLA have resulted in a precise global topographic map of Mars. The instrument has also provided measurements of the width of the backscattered optical pulse and of the 1064 nm reflectivity of the Martian surface and atmosphere. The range resolution of the MOLA instrument is 37.5 cm and the along-track resolution of MOLA ground shots is approx. 300 m; the across-track spacing depends on latitude and time in the mapping orbit. The best current topographic grid has a spatial resolution of approx. 1/16 deg and vertical accuracy of approx. one meter. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

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