Data Set Overview
  =================
    This data set contains data acquired by the MER Descent Camera. The
    images were used for onboard realtime analysis of the descent path
    of the MER landing system while descending to the surface of Mars.


  Processing
  ==========
    This data set uses the Committee on Data Management and
    Computation (CODMAC) data level numbering system. The MER Camera
    Payload EDRs are considered Level 2 or Edited Data (equivalent
    to NASA Level 0). The EDRs are to be reconstructed from Level 1
    or Raw Data, which are the telemetry packets within the project
    specific Standard Formatted Data Unit (SFDU) record. They are to be
    assembled into complete images, but are not radiometrically or
    geometrically corrected.

    Descent Camera EDR data products were generated by the Multi-mission
    Image Processing Lab at the Jet Propusion Laboratory using the
    telemetry processing software mertelemproc. The EDRs produced are
    raw uncalibrated data reconstructed from telemetry packet SFDUs
    and formatted according to the Camera EDR/RDR Software Interface
    Specification. Meta-data acquired from the telemetry data headers
    and a meta-data database were used to populate the PDS label. There
    will not be multiple versions of a MER Camera Payload EDR. Missing
    packets will be identified and reported for retransmission to the
    ground as partial datasets.


  Data
  ====
    A downsampled EDR is a smaller version of the 1024x1024 full frame
    or subframed image using the following methods: 1) nearest neighbor
    pixel averaging, 2) pixel averaging with outlier rejection or
    3) computing the median pixel value. Downsampled EDRs are stored as
    16-bit signed integers. If 12-to-8 bit scaling is performed, then
    pixels are stored in 16-bit format and only the last 8 bits of the
    16-bit integer are used.


  Software
  ========
    MER Camera Payload downlink processing software is focused on rapid
    reduction, calibration, and visualization of images in order to make
    discoveries, to accurately and expeditiously characterize the
    geologic environment around the rover, and to provide timely input
    for operational decisions concerning rover navigation and Instrument
    Deployment Device (IDD) target selection. Key software tools have
    been developed at JPL by the Multimission Image Processing
    Laboratory (MIPL). These tools were also used to process Pancam and
    MI images.

    PDS-labeled images and tables can be viewed with the program
    NASAView, developed by the PDS and available for a variety of
    computer platforms from the PDS web site
    http://pdsproto.jpl.nasa.gov/Distribution/license.html.
    There is no charge for NASAView.


  Media/Format
  ============
    The data set will initially be delivered and kept online. Upon
    Mission completion, the Descent Camera EDRs will be delivered to PDS
    on DVD as part of the complete MER EDR data set.

NULL