EARLY VIEWS OF THE MARTIAN SURFACE FROM THE MARS ORBITER CAMERA OF MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR

High-resolution images of the martian surface at scales of a few meter s show ubiquitous erosional and depositional eolian landforms. Dunes, sandsheets, and drifts are prevalent and exhibit a range of morphology , composition (inferred from albedo), and age (as seen in occurrences of different dune orientations at the same location). Steep walls of t opographic depressions such as canyons, valleys, and impact craters sh ow the martian crust to be stratified at scales of a few tens of meter s. The south polar layered terrain and superposed permanent ice cap di splay diverse surface textures that may reflect the complex interplay of volatile and non-volatile components, Low resolution regional views of the planet provide synoptic observations of polar cap retreat, con densate clouds, and the lifecycle of local and regional dust storms.