Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

Context image credit: NASA/JPL/MOLA
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Detailed information on this image is available at the THEMIS Data Releases website.

 

Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.

 

This image shows two representations of the same infra-red image covering a portion of the Solis Planum region, southeast of the Tharsis volcanoes. On the left is a grayscale image showing surface temperature, and on the right is a false-color composite made from 3 individual THEMIS bands. The false-color image is colorized using a technique called decorrelation stretch (DCS), which emphasizes the spectral differences between the bands to highlight compositional variations.

Multiple layers of lava flows in this region show temperature differences, as well as some potential compositional differences. The temperature variations between these flows are likely caused by differences in their surface texture. The compositional variation could be due to differences in the make-up of the lava when it erupted onto the surface or might only reflect differences in the amount of dust covering these flows.