See previous post, "Can you hear me Major Tom."
The European Space Agencys Mars Express orbiter is sending back fantastic images of Mars. Take a look at
www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html
Onboard the orbiter is a camera called the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) It is imaging the entire planet in full color 3D at a resolution of 10 meters average and up to 2 meters in selected areas.
I selected three compatable images to compare from the Mars Express
1. Hale Crater, 17.1 MB bitmap 40 meters per pixel, 72 pixels per inch
2. Olympus Mons, 4.09 MB bitmap 43 meters per pixel, 72 pixels per inch
3. Valles Marineris Canyon 49.7 mb bitmap 43 meters per pixel 72 pixels per inch.
On each, I increased contrast and brightness in Photoshop +30, +30
On each, I adjusted levels for best contrast, moving the black point slider to the shoulder of the histogram.
On each, I then enlarged to 200%.
The first three enlargements are at 200% iTe fourth image was enlarged to 500%. Note there is compression artifacts and pixelation in all three at 200% and quite noticable in the 500%. However, compare the 200% enlargement of Hale Crater with the other two. Olympic Mons and Valles Marineris are at the same resolution of around 40 meters per pixel, and all are at 72 pixels per inch.
I find the Hale Crater image most interesting and suggestive. I have contacted Professor Dr Gerhard Neukum, the lead man in the HRSC program for ESA and asked him to comment.
The order of images is 1. 200% Olympus Mons, 2. 200% Valles Marineris, 3. 200% Hale Crater, 4. 500% Olympus Mons.
J. P. Morgan