HiRISE images for March 17, 2010

The following new captioned and spotlight images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft are now available:

• Tongue-Shaped Flow Feature in Hellas Planitia
  This image captures a tongue-shaped lobate flow feature along a interior crater wall located in eastern Hellas Planitia.
• Mantled Surface of Ascraeus Mons
  This image shows a part of the western flank of Ascraeus Mons. Ascraeus Mons is one of the giant volcanoes of the Tharsis volcanic region of Mars.
• Nanedi Vallis: Tributaries and Albedo Changes
  This HiRISE image shows a part of Nanedi Vallis, one of the Martian valley networks. The valley networks are thought to have formed by flowing water in the distant past when the climate on Mars was warmer and wetter than it is today.
• Candidate Landing Site over Potential Chloride Salt Deposits
  There is an intriguing surface unit in parts of the ancient Martian highlands that may consist of chloride salts (like NaCl--table salt) which precipitated out of shallow lakes as in desert regions of Earth.
• Record-Breaking Dust Devil Caught in the Act
  Sometimes HiRISE finds something unexpected.