Photometric imaging of Mars during the 1973 opposition

Images of Mars were obtained at 20 wavelengths between 0.35 and 1.10 μm during the 1973 opposition using the MIT MKIII silicon vidicon imaging system at the 88-in. telescope of the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii. The observations covered a 3-hr interval on Day 2 of the 1973 Solis Lacus dust storm. At blue wavelengths two huge crescent-shaped anomalous brightenings surrounded the central dust storm in the early morning but faded during the morning; they were probably deposits of H₂O frost or low level haze that was degassed from the regolith in Solis Lacus. The north polar hood, which was nonsymmetrically oriented about the north pole, faded and receded during the observing period. Regions of known dust storm activity could be clearly distinguished, and the images revealed dust cloud activity in Chryse as well. Relative reflectance spectra generated from the images showed compositional variations within the Erythraeum M. dark area complex: Margaritifer S. and Eastern Erythraeum M. have similar ferrosilicate mineralogy, but have stronger ferrosilicate absorption bands than Pyrrhae R. and Eos. Western Erythraeum M. and northern Eos were contaminated by high albedo dust. Reflectance spectra obtained from orbit around Mars could provide higher spatial resolution and more complete coverage of the dark areas, yielding an opportunity to correlate geologic features with crustal petrology. An orbiting spectrometer could also provide spectra in the compositionally diagnostic wavelength range 1–4 μm, where the Earth's atmosphere contains intense absorption bands.