Object Shape Reconstruction with MER Navcam and Pancam: Testing Science Impacts of Known Stereo Algorithm Constraints

The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) stereo imaging system (Pancam, Navcam, and Hazcam) has been calibrated and validated primarily for the purposes of rover navigation, robotic arm control, and targeted instrument remote sensing. While the stereo data sets have been extensively characterized for the surface operation of the MER vehicles, to date there has not been a systematic study on the use of the stereo data for scientific investigations. Moreover, the MER PDS archives do not describe the error propagation into the XYZ data. Since stratigraphy and rock shape analyses are being done with MER data, and since photometry is particularly sensitive to slope and topographic roughness, we have carried out tests with engineering model cameras using real shape targets to check the impact of known stereo correlation algorithm 'features' to the possible interpretation of the XYZ data. Comparison of high resolution laser scan DEMs of our targets with stereo XYZ data products will be presented at the meeting.