This image shows an eroded mesa made up of rhythmically layered bedrock that seems to indicate cyclic deposition. The layers are accentuated by recent dark sand deposits that have accumulated on the benches of the brighter sediments. The plateau is topped by a younger set of layers that appear to be finer and less blocky than the older layers below, suggesting a different depositional environment. Similar layered sediments are found in nearby craters in southwestern Arabia Terra.
Dark
Light
This un-named crater in southwestern Arabia Terra contains a treasure!
Layered sediments are the key to the puzzle of Martian history. They tell us about the conditions that existed when the sediments were deposited, and how they changed over time.
Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona https://www.uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_059289_1890
Related Posts
Possible Impact Melt in Terra Sabaea
Nighttime and daytime infrared images from THEMIS suggest a consolidated deposit in the floor of this ancient crater in Terra Sabaea, potentially with some bedrock exposure.
A Tale of Collapse Terrain
North of Ganges Chasma lies Orson Welles Crater, whose floor contains broken up blocks we call chaotic terrain and which is the source for the major outflow channel Shalbatana Vallis.
Layers in a Crater
Located to the north of Cassini Crater, the objective of this observation is to confirm the presence of…
Detecting Olivine near Noachis Terra
This observation shows the bedrock on the floor of a crater near Noachis Terra. This crater is unique because it has been very well characterized as being olivine rich.