title: The environs of viking 2 lander.
abstract: Forty-six days after Viking 1 landed, Viking 2 landed in Utopia Planitia, about 6500 kilometers away from the landing site of Viking 1. Images show that in the immediate vicinity of the Viking 2 landing site the surface is covered with rocks, some of which are partially buried, and fine-grained materials. The surface sampler, the lander cameras, engineering sensors, and some data from the other lander experiments were used to investigate the properties of the surface. Lander 2 has a more homogeneous surface, more coarse-grained material, an extensive crust, small rocks or clods which seem to be difficult to collect, and more extensive erosion by the retro-engine exhaust gases than lander 1. A report on the physical properties of the martian surface based on data obtained through sol 58 on Viking 2 and a brief description of activities on Viking 1 after sol 36 are given.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Shorthill
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hutton
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Spitzer