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Proctor (Martian crater)

Proctor

Viking Orbiter 1 mosaic
Planet	Mars
Region	Noachis Terra
Coordinates	48°00′S 330°30′W / 48°S 330.5°W / -48; -330.5
Quadrangle	Noachis
Diameter	172.56 km (107.22 mi)
Eponym	Richard A. Proctor

Proctor is a large crater in the Noachis quadrangleofMars. It was named in 1973 after Richard A. Proctor, a British astronomer (1837–1888).^[1]

Dune fields[edit]

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]

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  Topographical map showing location of Proctor crater and other nearby craters
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  Another Viking image of the dunes in Proctor and in nearby craters
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  Proctor crater transverse aeolian ridges and Dunes, as seen by HiRISE
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  HiRISE image of the crater with transverse aeolian ridges surrounding a large dune
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  The edge of a dark dune field on the floor of Proctor crater
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  Dune field on floor of Proctor crater, as seen by CTX camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
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  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.

See also[edit]

• List of craters on Mars: O-Z

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Media related to Proctor (Martian crater) at Wikimedia Commons
• Nemiroff, Robert; Bonnell, Jerry (February 26, 2002). "Sand Dunes on Mars". Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD).