The context image shows the latest MOLA topographic map of Mars' from latitude 55° S to the south pole. Values of elevation on the color scale are in meters. The along-track resolution of MOLA profiles is 330 m. Vertical precision of individual elevations aproaches 37 cm. Absolute accuracy of the grid with respect to Mars' center of mass is <10 m. Note that there is a gap in data within 2.8° of the south pole due to the inclination of the MGS orbit. This gap will be filled in later this month by tilting the MGS spacecraft to an off-nadir ranging configuration. The MPL landing site region is between latitudes 72° and 78° S and longitudes 130° to 190° E. (Credit: MOLA Science Team)
High resolution digital elevation model of the MPL landing site corridor based on observations through MGS Orbit Trim Maneuver-2 on June 10, 1999. (Credit: MOLA Science Team)
MOLA profile coverage in the MPL landing site corridor. This plot shows the distribution of data that was used to make the above high-resolution digital elevation model.
Interquartile-scale roughness of the MPL landing site corridor. This chart shows the roughness of the surface within the landing site region at a spatial scale of about 1 kilometer. (Credit: MOLA Science Team)
Three-dimensional, false-color view of the Mars '98 Polar landing site from MOLA. The vertical exaggeration is 20: 1. (Credit: MOLA Science Team)
Three-dimensional view of the Mars '98 Polar landing site from MOLA. Here the topographic model has been superimposed on a Viking Orbiter color mosaic to provide a natural color view. The vertical exaggeration is 20: 1. (Credit: MOLA Science Team)
Graphics by Greg Neumann and Oded Aharonson.