HiRISE: Mysterious bright streak on the south polar layered deposits

ESP_040667_0910This locale was targeted to a bright, bow-shaped marking visible in a summertime image from MRO’s Context Camera. Our HiRISE image reveals a crater near the streak, perhaps from an impact event, although now too degraded to be certain of its origin.

This image also shows a lacy network of many fine channels associated with jets in the subliming carbon dioxide of the springtime. The bright streak might be due to topographic shading, although an anaglyph will help us determine that for certain. If it is topographic, then this portion of the layered deposits may have been folded under compressional stresses, perhaps from gravitational slumping. [More at link]

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

Comments are closed.