DLR Institute of Planetary Research - 26.11.2011 - Topography and albedo image of central complex and hummocky terrain

You are here: Home:Departments:Planning and Common Management:DAWN - Bild des Tages

Send article

26.11.2011 - Topography and albedo image of central complex and hummocky terrain

These Dawn FC (framing camera) images show part of Rheasilvia quadrangle in Vesta’s southern hemisphere. The left image is an albedo image, which is taken directly through the clear filter of the FC. Such an image shows the albedo (eg. brightness/ darkness) of the surface. The right image uses the same albedo image as its base but then a color-coded height representation of the topography is overlain onto it. The topography is calculated from a set of images that were observed from different viewing directions, allowing stereo reconstruction. The various colors correspond to the height of the area. The white and red areas in the left of the image are the highest areas and the blue area in the right of the image is the lowest area. The area denoted by the roughly circular white and red areas is the central complex feature of Vesta’s Rheasilvia basin. The high relief of the central complex is much clearer in the topography image than in the albedo image. Also clear in the topography image is the hummocky terrain, which surrounds the central complex feature. This is an undulating terrain, which consists of ridges and grooves. The height differences between the ridges and grooves are clear in the topography image: the grooves are low and colored blue and the ridges are high and colored green, yellow and red.

Send article link to:

Your e-mail address:

Your message: