« ... 1219 1220 1221 1222 1223 1224 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230 1231 1232 1233 1234 1235 1236 1237 ... »

Exposed Faults in Corprates Chasma Wall (PSP_005069_1670)

NASA/JPL/University of Arizona · Download full size image

This observation shows a portion of the north rim of Corprates Chasma, a large trough that forms the eastern part of the Valles Marineris, a system of canyons stretching for thousands of kilometers.

In this image, several faults are exposed along the surface of the rim. One fault can be seen particularly well centered on the right side of the subimage (1062 x 874; 906 KB).

Multiple layers are also visible on the slopes descending from the edges of the flat topped rim. The layers may have formed from volcanic, lacustrine, and/or aeolian sediments once deposited in the Valles Marineris trough. Particularly prominent is a dark-toned layer near the top of the slope. This layer is composed of materials that are more resistant to erosion than the overlying brighter layers. In HiRISE images, this layer is resolved into a rubbly outcrop of meter-scale boulders. Posted on: 14 Oct, 2007