Planetary Image Interpretation

Schedule for this term
(September to December 2016)
(subject to minor modifications)

NOTE: First class (week 2 in schedule) will be held in the Map and Data Centre, Weldon Library.

Week Dates Class Topic Assignment (to be completed before the next class) (% marks)

1 Sept. 11 - 16 Organizing week We will arrange meeting times etc. this week. As soon as you decide you are taking this course, email the instructor: pjstooke@uwo.ca

2 Sept. 18 - 23 Introductions; purpose of course; planetary map and data resources. First meeting - in Map and Data Centre, Weldon Library, time to be arranged by email.
Reading: D. E. Wilhelms, "The Geologic History of the Moon", USGS Prof. Paper 1348, 1987: Read Chapters 1 and 2.

3 Sept. 25 - 30 NASA's Planetary Image Atlas and other resources Reading: over next 2 weeks, D. E. Wilhelms, "The Geologic History of the Moon", USGS Prof. Paper 1348, 1987: Read Chapters 3 and 5.
Exercise: download and print 5 images from any 5 different missions, with the image ID numbers, approximate image dimensions and location. Raw NASA data, not maps or press images!(10%)

4 Oct. 3 - 7 Importance of context and scale. Introduction to planetary mapping Exercise: download images of the Moon from (1) Lunar Orbiter 4, (2) Apollo Metric Camera, (3) Clementine UV/VIS and (4) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LROC (Narrow Angle), all of the same area. Also download a context map of the area from the USGS nomenclature map (link below). Order by level of detail and outline each image on the one before, zooming in as in the example provided. Hand in the set of annotated images, including image identification numbers. (10%)

5 Oct. 10 - 14 Observing and interpreting material units and sequences. Moon mapping examples: local history, relative ages, crater density etc. Reading: Shoemaker and Hackman, "Stratigraphic Basis for a Lunar Time Scale", pp. 289-300 of The Moon (Kopal, Z. and Mikhailov, Z. K., eds), IAU Symp. 14, 1962.

6 Oct. 16 - 21 Geological history of the Moon; mapping using Clementine or Apollo images. Extension to other worlds. Exercise: Choose a map area and make these maps of it. (1) use LRO Quickmap (or JMars for the Moon) to define an area 5 degrees across on a mare/highland boundary, labelling its borders. During mapping, refer to the Quickmap version on screen where you can zoom in and out to look at context or greater detail as needed. (2) Use the USGS Planetary Nomenclature website to make a map showing feature names in your area. (4) Draw a geological map with estimates of stratigraphic ages (Copernican, Imbrian etc.) and a cross-section. Describe and interpret your units. Write a brief history of the area. (20%)

7 Oct. 24 - 28 Study Break, a sort of mini-reading week. No class, carry on with last assignment.

8 Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 (1) Class presentation of the last assignment. (2) Mars data sets and introduction to geology Reading: The geology of Mars: new insights and outstanding questions (by Jim Head, Brown University): - read it over 2 weeks. Exercise: Choose a map area and make four maps of it. (1) use Map-A-Planet to define an area 5 degrees across in an interesting area (including at least two major units), labelling its borders. (2) identify the same area in the THEMIS Day IR Global Mosaic, make a screen grab of it and crop to the same boundaries as (1). During mapping, refer to the THEMIS version on screen where you can zoom in and out to look at context or greater detail as needed. (3) Use the USGS Planetary Nomenclature website to make a map showing feature names in your area. (4) Draw a geological map with estimates of stratigraphic ages (Amazonian, Hesperian, Noachian) and a cross-section. Describe and interpret your units. Write a brief history of the area. (20%)

9 Nov. 6 - 11 Geology of Mars: basic mapping using sample data from Mars Odyssey Reading: The geology of Mars: new insights and outstanding questions (by Jim Head, Brown University): - read it over 2 weeks.

10 Nov. 13 - 18 Mars: geological history; Martian time scale; age estimates. Exercise: download all or part of a Mars Odyysey THEMIS visible image, a Global Surveyor MOC image or a HiRISE browse image of an interesting area, and choose just a section if the image is very large. Plan a rover mission which lands in a safe location and collects the maximum number of different types of material, within a total driving range of 5 km (and of course avoiding any obstacles). Provide one or more context images, a very brief summary of the geology of the site, and a list of the sampling sites commenting on why they were chosen and what might be sampled there. (20%)

11 Nov. 20 - 25 Mars continued, Mission planning: landing site selection, rover route planning, sample selection Discuss present assignment and keep working on it.

12 Nov. 28 - Dec. 2 Mars: current exploration Class presentations of the last assignment, plus look at current missions to Mars.

13 Dec. 5 - 9 (1) Evaluation.
(2) Wrap-up - Solar System Week We will look at images from other worlds and discuss them in the context of this course. Bring a print, digital or online image of your favorite place!
Final Project: Pulling it all together. Download any interesting high resolution image you like, any mission, any world. Provide appropriate context from maps or images (ask for help if you need it). Two parts: (1) produce a geological map and cross-section of the area covered by the images, including a description of the sequence of events which shaped the area, and (2) plan a rover/sample mission similar to the last assignment, specifying the rover driving (distance) constraint and identifying the materials to be collected with a brief description of what you think they may be. NOTE: This should be accompanied by a brief descriptive report with details of images, procedures and results. Due NO LATER than Dec 12 (Monday) - but you might like to start planning a bit early! (20%)

14 Apr. 6 - 8 Advice and help with final assignment

Week	Dates	Class Topic	Assignment (to be completed before the next class) (% marks)
1	Sept. 11 - 16	Organizing week	We will arrange meeting times etc. this week. As soon as you decide you are taking this course, email the instructor: pjstooke@uwo.ca
2	Sept. 18 - 23	Introductions; purpose of course; planetary map and data resources.	First meeting - in Map and Data Centre, Weldon Library, time to be arranged by email. Reading: D. E. Wilhelms, "The Geologic History of the Moon", USGS Prof. Paper 1348, 1987: Read Chapters 1 and 2.
3	Sept. 25 - 30	NASA's Planetary Image Atlas and other resources	Reading: over next 2 weeks, D. E. Wilhelms, "The Geologic History of the Moon", USGS Prof. Paper 1348, 1987: Read Chapters 3 and 5. Exercise: download and print 5 images from any 5 different missions, with the image ID numbers, approximate image dimensions and location. Raw NASA data, not maps or press images!(10%)
4	Oct. 3 - 7	Importance of context and scale. Introduction to planetary mapping	Exercise: download images of the Moon from (1) Lunar Orbiter 4, (2) Apollo Metric Camera, (3) Clementine UV/VIS and (4) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LROC (Narrow Angle), all of the same area. Also download a context map of the area from the USGS nomenclature map (link below). Order by level of detail and outline each image on the one before, zooming in as in the example provided. Hand in the set of annotated images, including image identification numbers. (10%)
5	Oct. 10 - 14	Observing and interpreting material units and sequences. Moon mapping examples: local history, relative ages, crater density etc.	Reading: Shoemaker and Hackman, "Stratigraphic Basis for a Lunar Time Scale", pp. 289-300 of The Moon (Kopal, Z. and Mikhailov, Z. K., eds), IAU Symp. 14, 1962.
6	Oct. 16 - 21	Geological history of the Moon; mapping using Clementine or Apollo images. Extension to other worlds.	Exercise: Choose a map area and make these maps of it. (1) use LRO Quickmap (or JMars for the Moon) to define an area 5 degrees across on a mare/highland boundary, labelling its borders. During mapping, refer to the Quickmap version on screen where you can zoom in and out to look at context or greater detail as needed. (2) Use the USGS Planetary Nomenclature website to make a map showing feature names in your area. (4) Draw a geological map with estimates of stratigraphic ages (Copernican, Imbrian etc.) and a cross-section. Describe and interpret your units. Write a brief history of the area. (20%)
7	Oct. 24 - 28	Study Break, a sort of mini-reading week.	No class, carry on with last assignment.
8	Oct. 31 - Nov. 4	(1) Class presentation of the last assignment. (2) Mars data sets and introduction to geology	Reading: The geology of Mars: new insights and outstanding questions (by Jim Head, Brown University): - read it over 2 weeks. Exercise: Choose a map area and make four maps of it. (1) use Map-A-Planet to define an area 5 degrees across in an interesting area (including at least two major units), labelling its borders. (2) identify the same area in the THEMIS Day IR Global Mosaic, make a screen grab of it and crop to the same boundaries as (1). During mapping, refer to the THEMIS version on screen where you can zoom in and out to look at context or greater detail as needed. (3) Use the USGS Planetary Nomenclature website to make a map showing feature names in your area. (4) Draw a geological map with estimates of stratigraphic ages (Amazonian, Hesperian, Noachian) and a cross-section. Describe and interpret your units. Write a brief history of the area. (20%)
9	Nov. 6 - 11	Geology of Mars: basic mapping using sample data from Mars Odyssey	Reading: The geology of Mars: new insights and outstanding questions (by Jim Head, Brown University): - read it over 2 weeks.
10	Nov. 13 - 18	Mars: geological history; Martian time scale; age estimates.	Exercise: download all or part of a Mars Odyysey THEMIS visible image, a Global Surveyor MOC image or a HiRISE browse image of an interesting area, and choose just a section if the image is very large. Plan a rover mission which lands in a safe location and collects the maximum number of different types of material, within a total driving range of 5 km (and of course avoiding any obstacles). Provide one or more context images, a very brief summary of the geology of the site, and a list of the sampling sites commenting on why they were chosen and what might be sampled there. (20%)
11	Nov. 20 - 25	Mars continued, Mission planning: landing site selection, rover route planning, sample selection	Discuss present assignment and keep working on it.
12	Nov. 28 - Dec. 2	Mars: current exploration	Class presentations of the last assignment, plus look at current missions to Mars.
13	Dec. 5 - 9	(1) Evaluation. (2) Wrap-up - Solar System Week	We will look at images from other worlds and discuss them in the context of this course. Bring a print, digital or online image of your favorite place! Final Project: Pulling it all together. Download any interesting high resolution image you like, any mission, any world. Provide appropriate context from maps or images (ask for help if you need it). Two parts: (1) produce a geological map and cross-section of the area covered by the images, including a description of the sequence of events which shaped the area, and (2) plan a rover/sample mission similar to the last assignment, specifying the rover driving (distance) constraint and identifying the materials to be collected with a brief description of what you think they may be. NOTE: This should be accompanied by a brief descriptive report with details of images, procedures and results. Due NO LATER than Dec 12 (Monday) - but you might like to start planning a bit early! (20%)
14	Apr. 6 - 8	Advice and help with final assignment