Saturday, February 9, 2013

Layering in Central Candor Chasma


A Context Camera (CTX) image of this area shows faulted layered deposits near the contact between the layered deposits and wall rock.

At HiRISE resolution, we may be able to discern any structural relationships, which may yield insight into relative age of these layered deposits and faulting to basin formation. As part of a stereo pair (linked below), we can measure bedding and fault orientations.

This observation is in an area of high hematite abundance. On Earth, hematite is a mineral formed in an aqueous environment. Its presence on Mars can help us understand what the past environment was like that formed it.

This is a stereo pair with ESP_019732_1750.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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