Proctor (Martian crater)

Proctor is a large crater in the Noachis quadrangle of Mars. It measures 168.2 kilometres (104.5 miles) in diameter and was named after Richard A. Proctor, a British astronomer (1837–1888).[1]

This article is about the crater on Mars. For the lunar crater, see Proctor (lunar crater).
Proctor
PlanetMars
RegionNoachis Terra
Coordinates48°S 330.5°W / -48; -330.5
EponymRichard A. Proctor

Dune fields

The crater contains a 35 x 65 km dark dune field.[2][3] It was one of the first sand dune fields ever recognized on Mars based on Mariner 9 images.[4] The crater's dunes are being monitored by HiRISE to identify changes over time.[5]

  • Topographical map showing location of Proctor crater and other nearby craters
  • Another Viking image of the dunes in Proctor and in nearby craters
  • Proctor crater Ripples and Dunes, as seen by HiRISE
  • HiRISE image of the crater
  • The edge of a dark dune field on the floor of Proctor crater
  • Dune field on floor of Proctor crater, as seen by CTX camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
  • Close-up of dunes on floor of Proctor crater, as seen by CTX camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is an enlargement of part of previous image.
gollark: Just scoop up all the sand from a big desert and dump it there. Nothing could go wrong.
gollark: I thought they'd said something about it being too dangerous. Wonder what changed.
gollark: XML, so it's more horrifying now.
gollark: ```Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn</name><description>After discarding all his followers, Nyarlathotep sought to enslave the universe. Set against the backdrop of classic Greek mythos, our story follows investigators as they battle the elder god and his servant Cthulhu in the island of Santorini. </description><scriptName>Nyarlathotep1.sc</scriptName><issues> </issues><storyDescription></storyDescription><missionId>NKY1</missionId><played>false</played><adminToPlay>false </adminToPlay><percentageComplete>75</percentageComplete><designerInitials>MW</designer```
gollark: I kind of want to feed some of the Antimemetics Division SCPs in to see what it makes of those.

See also
  • List of craters on Mars: O-Z

References
  1. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Proctor". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. Fenton, L. K. (2005). "Seasonal Movement of Material on Dunes in Proctor Crater, Mars: Possible Present-Day Sand Saltation" (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005).
  3. Mary Chapman, ed. (2007). The Geology of Mars: Evidence from Earth-Based Analogs. Cambridge University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-521-83292-2.
  4. "Dune Activity in Proctor Crater". Mars Global Surveyor - Mars Orbiter Camera - MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-170. Malin Space Science Systems. 10 August 1999.
  5. Bridges, Nathan (9 March 2009). "Sand Dunes and Ripples in Proctor Crater". HiRISE Operations Center.
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