Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to active geyser vs passive spot

re: Um. An optical illusion of what?
BRFelix — (archived)

If it is an illusion -- which I don't discount, since there is so much about Mars that is illusory or deceptive -- then we need to think about what sort of processes would produce an illusion that looks exactly like plumes of dark material being forcefully ejected into the atmostphere, exactly where planetologists now say -- so late in the game -- such plumes would probably be commonplace.

Robert Shepard has long held that the image shows shadowed blocky terrain, which is an interesting interpretation that would carry a bit more weight if there were any other similar areas in the neighborhood with which to compare on the basis of blockiness and shadowing. There aren't any that I can find, but maybe you've found some. There are, however, enormous numbers of potential "geyser" sites throughout this area, some of which seem to show plumes erupting.

Do you agree with Robert that the scene is one of shadowed blocks, or do you think the illusion of plumes erupting in the image is caused by something else? If so, what?

I did a brief check of images from the south polar region, and a surprising number (say~ 10%) appeared to be significantly off vertical despite emmission angles of .2 or less.

What may be happening, though I can't be sure, is that the camera is aiming approximately straight down in the center of the image, but the image is quite long and narrow. The image angle beyond the center may be considerably off vertical. You'll see that the best "illusion" is at the bottom of the image in question, for example.

If this and the other images that appear to show active polar plumes are illusions, it is fascinating that these illusions just happen to show up where planetologists surmise such plumes would be active.

Coincidence?

Serendipity?

Occam's hatchet?

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