CRISM: Iron-magnesium phyllosilicates near rim of Gale Crater

B5A3CRISM scene FRT0000B5A3 covers the southern wall of Gale crater, 15 km downslope from the rim. This region is gently sloping, compared to the northern wall, potentially indicating that the Gale basement rocks in the crater rim are mantled by newer material. A fluvial channel also bisects this scene. Fe/Mg phyllosilicates (green) have been exhumed by the central impact crater in this scene. This morphological feature along with the material inside the smaller crater toward the northwest are correlated to mass wasting events in this region of Gale Crater. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity Rover is investigating the layered materials that make up the large mountain in the middle of Gale Crater. [More at link]

This entry was posted in Reports and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.