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Mars radiation levels

Mars radiation levels are two to three times higher than around Earth.

August 24, 2004

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NASA/JPL/JSC/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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Explore Mars Sticker
Explore Mars Sticker
A small section of Dao Vallis in shown in this VIS image. Dao Vallis is a major channel that drains into Hellas Planitia
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A small section of Dao Vallis in shown in this VIS image. Dao Vallis is a major channel that drains into Hellas Planitia
Dao Valles
Colors in this image of the Martian moon Phobos indicate a range of surface temperatures detected by observing the moon on Sept. 29, 2017, with the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera o...
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Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Martian Moon Phobos in Thermal Infrared Image
In Ares Vallis, teardrop mesas extend like pennants behind impact craters, where the raised rocky rims diverted the floods and protected the ground from erosion.
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In Ares Vallis, teardrop mesas extend like pennants behind impact craters, where the raised rocky rims diverted the floods and protected the ground from erosion.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Ares Vallis
This mosaic image of Valles Marineris - colored to resemble the martian surface - comes from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), a visible-light and infrared-sensing camera on NASA's Mars...
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This mosaic image of Valles Marineris - colored to resemble the martian surface - comes from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), a visible-light and infrared-sensing camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter.
The Grand Canyon of Mars-Valles Marineris
This THEMIS visible image shows a close-up view of the ridged plains in Hesperia Planum. This region is the classic locality for martian surfaces that formed in the "middle ages" of martian history.
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This THEMIS visible image shows a close-up view of the ridged plains in Hesperia Planum. This region is the classic locality for martian surfaces that formed in the "middle ages" of martian history. The absolute age of these surfaces is not well known. However, using the abundance of impact craters, it is possible to determine that the Hesperian plains are younger than the ancient cratered terrains that dominate the southern hemisphere, and are older than low-lying plains of the northern hemisphere. In this image it is possible to see that this surface has a large number of 1-3 km diameter craters, indicating that this region is indeed very old and has subjected to a long period of bombardment. A large (80 km diameter) crater occurs just to the north (above) this image. The material that was thrown out onto the surface when the crater was formed ("crater ejecta") can be seen at the top of the THEMIS image. This ejecta material has been heavily eroded and modified since its formation, but there are hints of lobate flow features within the ejecta. Lobate ejecta deposits are thought to indicate that ice was present beneath the surface when the crater was formed, leading to these unusual lobate features. Many of the Hesperian plains are characterized by ridged surfaces. These ridges can be easily seen in the MOLA context image, and several can be seen cutting across the lower portion of the THEMIS image. These "wrinkle" ridges are thought to be the result of compression (squeezing) of the lavas that form these plains.
Hesperia Planum
Continuing our survey of non-crater dune fields brings us to this group of dunes in Aonia Terra. The daytime IR illustrates the warmth of the dune material compared to the surrounding materials.
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Continuing our survey of non-crater dune fields brings us to this group of dunes in Aonia Terra. The daytime IR illustrates the warmth of the dune material compared to the surrounding materials.
Aonia Terra Dunes
Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth.
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Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth.
Artist's Concept of Mars Satellites
These are two views of the same observation of the Martian moon Phobos taken in both infrared and visible light by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter using its THEMIS camera. The image was taken on A...
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Two views of the Martian moon Phobos taken in both infrared and visible light by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey.
Phobos: Comparing Infrared and Visible Light Views
This movie shows the Martian moon Phobos as viewed in visible light by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter on April 24, 2019. The apparent motion is due to movement by Odyssey's infrared camera, Therm...
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This movie shows the Martian moon Phobos as viewed in visible light by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter.
Odyssey Views Phobos in Visible Light: April 24, 2019
Chasma Boreale is a long, flat-floored valley that cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap
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Chasma Boreale is a long, flat-floored valley that cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Chasma Boreale
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Dr. Phil Varghese, Odyssey Project Manager.
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Dr. Phil Varghese, Odyssey Project Manager.
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Color coding in this map of a far-northern site on Mars indicates the change in nighttime ground-surface temperature between summer and fall. This site, like most of high-latitude Mars, has water i...
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Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arctic Site on Mars
Depth-to-Ice Map of an Arctic Site on Mars
Marte Vallis, located in Amazonis Planitia, is broad and shallow. The streamlined islands at the top and bottom of the image illustrate this.
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Marte Vallis, located in Amazonis Planitia, is broad and shallow. The streamlined islands at the top and bottom of the image illustrate this.
Marte Vallis in Amazonis Planitia
This image shows the context for orbital observations of exposed rocks that had been buried an estimated 5 kilometers (3 miles) deep on Mars.
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This image shows the context for orbital observations of exposed rocks that had been buried an estimated 5 kilometers (3 miles) deep on Mars.
Nature's Drilling Exposes Deeply Buried Minerals
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above Mars' south pole in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October 24, 2001.
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NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above Mars' south pole in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October 24, 2001.
Odyssey over Mars' South Pole
If a meteorite breaks in two shortly before hitting the ground, the typical bowl shape of a single impact crater becomes doubled.
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If a meteorite breaks in two shortly before hitting the ground, the typical bowl shape of a single impact crater becomes doubled.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Dual Crater
The floor of this crater in Terra Sirenum contains layered material. The layered sedimentary material on Mars is arguably the most interesting and compelling material on the planet. These layers mo...
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The floor of this crater in Terra Sirenum contains layered material. The layered sedimentary material on Mars is arguably the most interesting and compelling material on the planet. These layers most likely contain the answers to fundamental questions about Martian geology, climate, and possibly even biology.
Terra Sirenum Crater
Morning clouds fill Coprates Chasma on Mars in this Nov. 25, 2015, image from the THEMIS camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey. No orbiter systematically observed Mars in morning sunlight before 2015. The ...
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Morning clouds fill Coprates Chasma on Mars in this Nov. 25, 2015, image from the THEMIS camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey. No orbiter systematically observed Mars in morning sunlight before 2015. The clouds appear blue because ice particles in them scatter blue light more strongly than other colors.
Mars Odyssey View of Morning Clouds in Canyon
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith
A false-color mosaic focuses on one junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where Mars canyons meet to form a depression 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) deep.
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A false-color mosaic focuses on one junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where Mars canyons meet to form a depression 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) deep.
Canyon Junction
Sixteen seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found the Martian pit feature at the center of the superimposed red square in this image while participating in a program t...
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Martian Pit Feature Found by Seventh Graders
Martian Pit Feature Found by Seventh Graders
Seen shortly after local Martian sunrise, clouds gather in the summit pit, or caldera, of Pavonis Mons, a giant volcano on Mars, in this image from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on N...
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Seen shortly after local Martian sunrise, clouds gather in the summit pit, or caldera, of Arsia Mons, a giant volcano on Mars, in this image from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter.
Morning Clouds Atop Martian Mountain
This image from NASAs Mars Odyssey shows lava flows from Alba Mons, and a tectonic graben called Cyane Fossae.
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This image from NASAs Mars Odyssey shows lava flows from Alba Mons, and a tectonic graben called Cyane Fossae.
Alba Mons

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