Sunday, March 31, 2013

Clay Minerals Near Mawrth Vallis


Mawrth Vallis, one of the oldest valleys on the Red Planet, was one of the final four candidate landing spots for the Mars Science Laboratory and for good reason: there are clay minerals here that most likely formed in the presence of water.

This particular image is part of a collection of observations to support assessment of potential future rover landing sites. The region is rich in aluminum- and iron-bearing clays.

This is a stereo pair with ESP_023567_2000.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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