Thick stacks of clay minerals indicate chemical alteration of thick stacks of rock by interaction with liquid water on ancient Mars. Aluminum clays overlying iron/magnesium clays here in the ancient terrains of Mawrth Vallis indicate a change in environmental conditions. Aluminum clays may form by near-surface leaching while iron/magnesium clays may form in the subsurface. The image is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. (References: Wray et al ., 2008; Loizeau et al ., 2010.)
Name | Value | Additional Values |
---|---|---|
Target | Mars | |
System | ||
Target Type | Planet | |
Mission | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) | |
Instrument Host | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter | |
Host Type | Orbiter | |
Instrument | High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) | |
Detector | ||
Extra Keywords | Color, Water | |
Acquisition Date | ||
Release Date | 2011-11-21 | |
Date in Caption | ||
Image Credit | NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona | |
Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15098 | |
Identifier | PIA15098 |