OCTOBER 1999: We have put together high-resolution thermal-inertia maps of the prospective 2001 landing sites. These maps represent our most up-to-date thermal inertia data derived from MGS Thermal Emission Spectrometer observations. These maps are being provided to the scientific community prior to publication in order to aid in landing site evaluation for the 2001 mission [which evolved into the MER 2003 missions].

• All maps are of thermal-bolometer-based nighttime thermal inertia.
• Thermal inertia can range 24-800 J m^-2 K^-1 s^-½ (divide by 41.86 for cgs units [cal × 10^-3])
• TES orbits 1583-3814 (early mapping mission data) are used in this analysis.
• The color scale is linear as labeled in the scale bar in the ground track maps below.

The ground track maps show TES thermal-inertia ground tracks in an MGS inertial reference frame. Latitude and longitude grids are overlain to provide this spatial reference.

The ground tracks with basemaps are these same maps underlain with a USGS mosaic basemap. The ground tracks have been shifted to approximately align thermal inertia with surface geology in the USGS-frame basemap image. This shift is performed by aligning a number of visible geologic features with thermal inertia features. The correlation is not perfect and the alignment may be off by many kilometers. One should rely on the latitude-longitude grid provided for interpreting landing site conditions from thermal inertia. These maps are provided to give a basic geologic context. (The Hesperia map contains no realignment due to a lack of thermal-inertia reference points to work with.)

	Isidis Rim 3N-1S x 270-280W	Western Hematite 0-3S x 2-7W
Ground Track Maps
Ground Tracks with Basemaps

	Amenthes Highlands 3N-1S x 238-248W	Northeast Meridiani 0-4S x 349.7-350.7W	Hesperia Paleolake 2.2-3.2S x 248.5-249.7W
Ground Track Maps
Ground Tracks with Basemaps

See the CU Thermal Inertia Web Site for global maps, information about the interpretation and uncertainties of thermal inertia, and suggested references.

This web page and its contents are provided by:

Michael Mellon, University of Colorado
Bruce Jakosky, University of Colorado
Hugh Kieffer, US Geological Survey, Flagstaff
Phil Christensen, Arizona State University
Shannon Pelkey, University of Colorado