One example of how the Oxia Planum landing site under consideration for the ExoMars 2020 mission is being analysed. The map outlines a boundary (red) that encapsulates the range of possible 120 x 19 km landing ellipses, with some added margin. Elevation contours are also indicated. The colours represent the variety of surface terrains identified, including plains (green shades), channels (blues), impact craters (yellow, with black outlines), and wind-blown features (pink). It is not a geological map intended for scientific analysis, but rather a tool used to identify different surface textures and where potential hazards may lie.
The background image is from the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter.