JMARS Glossary

A

• Albedo

The extent to which a surface reflects light, defined as the ratio of reflected light to incident light.

• ASU

Arizona State University

C

• Clementine

A joint NASA-Strategic Defense Initiative Organization spacecraft launched on January 25, 1994.

• Chaos

A distinctive area of broken terrain.

• Chasma

A deep, elongated, steep-sided depression. (plural: chasmata)

D

• Dorsum

Ridge. (plural: dorsa)

F

• Fossa

Long, narrow depression. (plural: fossae)

G

• GRS

Gamma Ray Spectrometer - Gamma ray and neutron detector, used to map the chemical composition of the Martian surface, aboard Mars Odyssey

H

• HiRISE

High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment - Visible wavelength camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

I

• IRTM

InfraRed Thermal Mapper - Infrared wavelength instrument aboard the Viking 1 & 2 Orbiters

J

• JMARS

Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing - a Java-based geographic information system

L

• Labyrinthus

Complex of intersecting valleys or ridges.

• LRO

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - NASA satellite scheduled to launch in fall 2008

• LROC

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera - a visible-wavelength camera aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

M

• MARIE

Martian Radiation Environment Experiment - designed to characterize the radiation environment on the way to Mars and in Martian orbit.

• Mars Odyssey

NASA satellite launch to Mars on April 7, 2001 carrying the THEMIS, GRS and MARIE instruments.

• MGS

Mars Global Surveyor - NASA satellite launched to Mars on November 7, 1996

• MMC

Mass Memory Card - the flash memory on Mars Odyssey where THEMIS data is stored prior to downlink.

• MOLA

Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter - instrument aboard the Mars Global Surveyor for measuring the elevation of features on Mars

• Mons

Mountain. (plural: montes)

• MRO

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter - NASA satellite launched to Mars on August 12, 2005

• MSIP

Mars Student Imaging Project - Education/Outreach program for K-12 students run by the THEMIS Team at ASU

N

• NPLD

North Pole Layered Deposits - A THEMIS imaging campaign to map the layered deposits and seasonal changes in the North Polar ice cap.

O

• Odyssey

see Mars Odyssey

P

• Patera

An irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges. (plural: paterae)

• Planitia

Low plain. (plural: planitiae)

• Planum

Plateau or high plain. (plural: plana)

• PPD

Pixels Per Degree - refers to the resolution of an image where a degree is one degree of longitude.

R

• ROI

Region Of Interest - An area designated by planetary geologists as an important target to observe with various instruments.

S

• SESE

School of Earth and Space Exploration - A school at ASU that combines geological science and astronomy with elements of engineering and education.

• SPLD

South Pole Layered Deposits - A THEMIS imaging campaign to map the layered deposits and seasonal changes in the South Polar ice cap.

• Sulcus

Subparallel furrows and ridges. (plural: sulci)

T

• TES

Thermal Emission Spectrometer - infrared spectrometer aboard the Mars Global Surveyor

• THEMIS

THermal EMission Imaging Spectrometer - visible and infrared wavelength camera aboard Mars Odyssey

• Tholus

Small domical mountain or hill. (plural:tholi)

V

• Vallis

Valley. (plural: valles)

• Vastitas

Extensive plain. (plural:vastitates)

• Viking

The two identical Viking spacecraft, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, arrived at Mars in 1976. The nuclear-powered landers investigated the surface while the orbiters mapped the planet.