Temporal analysis of all high-resolution Mars imaging products

Abstract

A meta-data analysis has been performed of high-resolution imagery that have been acquired over the last four decades from Mars. More specifically, we are interested in two independent image parameters, the time that each image was acquired and the spatial resolution with which the planetary region is mapped in the image. We are only interested in mapping changes in high-resolution images. We use two different upper thresholds to discriminate them from low-resolution images, twenty metres and a hundred metres per pixel. In order to be able to extract semantic information about the temporal and spatial distribution of high-resolution Martian imagery we adopt two grouping strategies. In the first, images are clustered according to the time period (counted in Martian Years) that they were acquired, so as to examine whether sporadic Martian phenomena can be identified (e.g. a new crater) from imagery that depict the same area in different time periods. In the second grouping, images are clustered according to the Martian season that they were acquired, so as to examine whether seasonal Martian phenomena can be identified from imagery that depict the same area during the same season. This analysis supports the hypothesis that there is sufficient coverage for both tasks, since the Martian surface has been mapped at least once in each epoch and more than twice since 2002 and for each season at least 10% of Martian surface has been mapped at least three times. The resulting maps and graphical plots will be presented will provide additional detail to this report.