The Multi-Temporal Database of Planetary Image Data (MUTED): A web-based tool for studying dynamic Mars

Abstract

Multi-temporal spacecraft observations are key to detect and understand surface changes and time-critical processes on Mars. Since the 1970s, the number of orbital observations of Mars has increased to over one million images. The observations have revealed that the surface of Mars is changing due to exogenic processes, including eolian activity, mass movement, seasonal ice and frost cover, and crater-forming impacts. The increasing number of observations highlights the importance of efficient and convenient tools for planetary image data management and change detection analyses. To support the identification of surface changes we developed the Multi-Temporal Database of Planetary Image Data (MUTED), which is accessible at http://muted.wwu.de.