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H.U. Keller, N.M. Hoekzema, W.J. Markiewicz (Max-Planck-Institute for Aeronomy)
The Mars Express orbiter will arrive at Mars in the beginning of 2004. One of the primary tasks of this mission will be to map in stereo at least half of the Martian surface with the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC). HRSC will image the surface in five angle stereo as well as in five colours. The Martian atmosphere contains large amount of dust as well as other aerosols which scatter light and influence the obtained images. Interpretation of the images requires careful consideration of this atmospheric effect. An essential parameter of such analysis is the total optical depth. Stereo images offer a reliable way to retrieve the optical depth as demonstrated in Earth remote sensing with for example, the MISR instrument onboard the TERRA satellite. Retrieval is possible since a nadir view has a shorter atmospheric path than the forward and backward ones. We present preliminary results of the optical depth retrieved from HRSC images of Stromboli Island taken from an aeroplane. We discuss the accuracy and limitation of these stereo retrievals in the context of the coming flight of HRSC to Mars.