Color Properties at the Mars InSight Landing Site

Abstract

AbstractThe color properties observed at the InSight landing site by the lander cameras are spectral mixtures of two source materials: gray‐black rocky material with chromaticity values of x = 0.32, y = 0.32 (standard deviations of σx = 0.02 and σy = 0.03) and yellowish‐brown dust with chromaticity values of x = 0.42, y = 0.36 (standard deviations of σx = 0.02 and σy = 0.03). These results are consistent with published values from other Mars landed missions. The InSight measurements also include the first published value of the white point of Mars daylight, chromaticity of x = 0.35, y = 0.34 (standard deviations of σx = 0.01 and σy = 0.02), which is redder than earth daylight by δx = 0.04 and δy = 0.01. InSight measurements also show a small color difference (δx = 0.02 and δy = 0.01) between the near field terrain (within 20 m of the lander) and the far field area beyond. This color difference is believed to be caused by dust being blown off by near field terrain by the lander rockets during the landing event. The visual difference between these two regions is caused primarily by the brightness variation. Chromaticity measurements of the Martian sky also match previous missions with additional variability caused by differences in dust loading and the dynamic nature of the Martian atmosphere.