Proctor (Martian crater)

This article is about the crater on Mars. For the lunar crater, see Proctor (lunar crater).

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

Proctor

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

Dune fields

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]

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

• List of craters on Mars: O-Z