[X] My Assistant

[Guest_AlexBlackwell_*]

The mission description document is now online (1.06 Mb PDF).

[Big_Gazza]

What I have been wondering is that why have we not seen more of the high-res VIMS images like that of Tortola Facula (back on Ta?). Those images were far more detailed than anything ISS has/can produce, and if VIMS can produce images like this, I would expect the instrument to be assuming a higher visibility in a PR sense.

The field of view of the Tortola Facula images are very small, and the "volcano" is nearly central to the image. This, together with the lack of other released VIMS images, suggests two options:

1 - there are more such images which have not been released (hard to believe)
2 - one small area was investigated in detail

If 2 is correct (most likely), how did the imaging team know to look here? This small patch appears to be an-otherwise unremarkable region of the northern dark region, and this early in the mission there could not have been other investigations that led researchers to this feature.

Anyone have any insider info on the imaging of Tortola Facula?

Cheers,
Gary