2016年1月26日星期二

Mars Orbiter Mission sends fresh pictures, methane sensors are working fine


The Mars Colour Camera (MCC) aboard India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has sent in new images of the Red Planet, showing a volcano, and a canyon on the surface and one of Mars' natural satellite Phobos.

The new set of images were released late Tuesday by Isro, which has also said that the methane senors on the spacecraft have begun studying the albedo of the Red Planet — fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from Mars back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the surface and will help study methane.

The study of methane is a crucial objective of the Rs 450-crore mission, as methane is an indicator of life on the red planet. While the findings from the methane sensor released by Isro is completely technical, a senior scientist said the team is working on simplifying the same and releasing it for better comprehension by Wednesday evening.


Spectacular 3D view of Arsia Mons, a huge volcano on Mars. (Photo credit: Isro)





Close-up view of a portion of the gigantic Valles Marineris Canyon of Mars. (Photo credit: Isro)





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