Collecting all of the data to make maps like this is one thing, but even armed with thousands of images of the planet from above, there’s still a lot of work to do to make a usable terrain model.
The team started off with pairs of overlapping images, using the differences between the two to work out topography data with advanced computer processing. These individual models then had to be fitted to a global map of Mars, by looking at low-resolution topography maps and dropping the new, higher-resolution topography sections on top. Several hundred models were added at a time, then a supercomputer was used again to align them more precisely.
The supercomputer used was the USGS Denali super computer, and it was needed because the processing would have taken years or even decades on a typical desktop computer.
In total, nearly 5,000 terrain models have been produced so far. But the researchers want to keep working on the project, using image pairs from other instruments to create even more models.
“These data are important because they democratize the availability of high-quality Mars topographic data,” Laura said. “Getting consistent, well aligned results is not easy. We felt it was important to generate and release these products so that others could freely access the data. When these data are highly accessible, anyone can contribute to scientific discovery.”
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