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The name Kuniyoshi was recently adopted by the International Astronomical Union for the 26.5 km diameter crater near the center of today's image. Utagawa Kuniyoshi was a Japanese painter and printmaker (1798-1861). The subjects of his artwork included landscapes, Kabuki scenes, cats, samurai heroes, and the mythical and supernatural. Kuniyoshi crater is morphologically fresh, with a sharp rim, steep central peak, and impact melt ponds on the floor and near-rim ejecta. To the west of Kuniyoshi is a famous Mercurian lobate scarp, Discovery Rupes.
This image was acquired as part of MDIS's high-resolution surface morphology base map. The surface morphology base map covers more than 99% of Mercury's surface with an average resolution of 200 meters/pixel. Images acquired for the surface morphology base map typically are obtained at off-vertical Sun angles (i.e., high incidence angles) and have visible shadows so as to reveal clearly the topographic form of geologic features.
Date acquired: February 25, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 238701357
Image ID: 1441474
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -57.65°
Center Longitude: 321.8° E
Resolution: 173 meters/pixel
Scale: The edges of the image are about 170 km (105 mi.) long.
Incidence Angle: 65.0°
Emission Angle: 0.7°
Phase Angle: 65.2°
Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
In contrast to a previous image, not all lobate scarps are large. The example pictured here is much smaller -- both in terms of length and relief -- than Discovery Rupes, but it too has contributed to the shortening of Mercury's crust. This scarp cross-cuts an unnamed, 65-km-diameter crater, which is filled with smooth plains, just north of Mussorgskij crater. Whether this scarp is younger than Discovery Rupes and so has not had as much time to accumulate tectonic deformation, or if instead it did not shorten the crust as much for other reasons, remains as yet unclear.
This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.
Date acquired: September 11, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 21213842
Image ID: 4802121
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 35.4°
Center Longitude: 262.0° E
Resolution: 24.1 meters/pixel
Scale: The field of view in this image is about 29 km (18 mi.) from left to right
Incidence Angle: 60.59°
Emission Angle: 31.91°
Phase Angle: 28.68°
North is to the bottom of the image.
Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Although one of Mercury's largest lobate scarps, Discovery Rupes is by no means an unusual type of landform on the innermost planet. In fact, scarps cover the surface, and are interpreted to be the result of crustal shortening as Mercury's interior cooled and contracted. In this dramatic view of Discovery Rupes, taken with the Sun low in the sky, the relief along 400-km-long structure can be clearly seen as it cross-cuts Rameau crater.
This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.
Date acquired: September 23, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 22261149
Image ID: 4875898
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -55.0°
Center Longitude: 322.2° E
Resolution: 246 meters/pixel
Scale: The field of view in this image is about 260 km (162 mi.) from top to bottom
Incidence Angle: 66.87°
Emission Angle: 39.74°
Phase Angle: 106.61°
North is to the top left of the image.
Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Like yesterday's image, and the one from last week, today's image features the same potential volcanic vent. However, today's image is actually a combination of two additional images that were taken by the spacecraft 255 seconds apart. During that time of just over 4 minutes, the spacecraft had moved enough to provide slightly different viewing angles of the same surface, enabling this 3D representation to be made. Find a pair of red-cyan glasses to view the 3D image, and the image has been rotated such that north is to the left to enhance the 3D effect.
This image was acquired as a targeted set of stereo images. Targeted stereo observations are acquired at resolutions much higher than that of the 200-meter/pixel stereo base map. These targets acquired with the NAC enable the detailed topography of Mercury's surface to be determined for a local area of interest.
Date acquired: July 02, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 15108910, 15109165
Image ID: 4368031, 4368047
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 24.28°
Center Longitude: 148.3° E
Resolution: 44 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is 40 km (25 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 72.2°
Emission Angle: 26.1°, 32.9°
Phase Angle: 98.2°, 96.3°
Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Different lighting conditions can reveal different insights into Mercury's surface. Check out this dramatic example of Discovery rupes. Today's image shows the same proposed volcanic vent that was featured last week, but this image was obtained with the Sun more nearly overhead. With this new view, you can see areas of the surface that were previously hidden in shadows.
This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.
Date acquired: June 06, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 12831164
Image ID: 4206165
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 24.34°
Center Longitude: 148.3° E
Resolution: 28 meters/pixel
Scale: The diameter of the small crater to the left of the proposed vent is about 5 km (3 miles)
Incidence Angle: 26.7°
Emission Angle: 8.5°
Phase Angle: 35.2°
Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
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