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Creating Elevation Profiles 

​Create elevation profiles to see how height changes across the surface.

Note: Profiles only work when a numeric elevation layer (such as MOLA) is active in the Layers panel.

toggle on off

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  1. Open JMARS

  2. Click on an area of interest and Zoom in. 

  3. Go to the tool bar. Chick the Profile icon.        

  4. Slowly click and drag to draw a profile line. Single-click to change direction while drawing. Double-click to end the line. Click the arrow icon in the Tools menu to stop drawing. Note: To return to the arrow cursor, click another layer in the Layers panel, then reselect your original layer.

  5. Click a line, or drag across multiple lines to select. Line(s) become highlighted in bright yellow. Note: A mouse icon indicates right-click options.

  6. To see your profile(s), right click on your highlighted profile line and choose “Add profile to existing chart”. This opens a "View and Configure Chart". Note: The square marks where the profile line begins on the chart.

  7. Click “CHART” to view your profiles. Note: to return to arrow curser, click in main viewing window.

  8. To delete profiles, right-click selected line(s) and choose Remove.

  9. Click “CONFIGURATION” to adjust profile options. Note:  Recommended numeric source: HRSC MOLA Blended DEM 200mv2​​​​​

profile tool icon

 

A place to begin

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   What do you notice?

  • Where does elevation change the most along your profile?

  • Are the changes smooth, stepped, or abrupt?

  • Do any patterns repeat? What might be causing them?​


Radial/Crater Profile Lines 

Create profiles in circles either starting at the center or at the edge. Note: Must have a numeric map loaded in Layer Manager.

  1. Open JMARS

  2. Zoom in to a crater or area of interest.

  3. Click the three dots next to the "Layers" label and click “Crater Counting”. A new layer is added to the Layers panel. 

  4. Move your cursor and circle to the center of your crater. Zoom in/out until circle is the size you want.
    (Hold Shift for finer control.) Repeat to select other craters. To stop drawing circles: Right-click. Under "Crater Mode" and click “Select Mode.” Click your circle or click and drag across selected craters. Next, right-click. under "Mode", click “Select Mode.”

  5.  Double click on the "Crater Counting" layer in the layer manager. In the  "Crater Counting Options" window, click the row showing your circle data . (turns gray). At the bottom of the window, click "Open Profile Viewer". The chart shows elevation profiles from the center out (RADIALS). To chart from edge to edge (DIAMETERS) click the "line type" then click "DIAMETERS". Other custom options are available including data sheets about your craters.

  6. To add a new circle: right click, click choose crater mode, add mode. Repeat steps 4-5 ​​​​​​​​Note: Recommended higher resolution Numeric Source: "HRSC MOLA Blended DEM 200mv2". Note: To remove fill color in circles, double click "Crater Counting" layer, click "DISPLAYS", uncheck the ‘Fill Craters’ box to remove the fill color.​​​

 

A place to begin

​​

   What do you notice?

  • Do the profiles look the same in all directions, or are some different?

  • Where are the highest and lowest points?

  • What might explain those differences?

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