PIA03211: Spectacular Layers Exposed in Becquerel Crater
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
 Spacecraft:  Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter
 Instrument:  Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
 Product Size:  3124 x 512 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-278
 Primary Data Set:  MGS EDRs
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA03211.tif (1.678 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA03211.jpg (369.5 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

Toward the end of its Primary Mapping Mission, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) acquired one of its most spectacular pictures of layered sedimentary rock exposed within the ancient crater Becquerel. Pictures such as this one from January 25, 2001, underscore the fact that you never know from one day to the next what the next MOC images will uncover. While the Primary Mission ends January 31, 2001, thousands of new pictures--revealing as-yet-unseen terrain on the red planet--may be obtained during the Extended Mission phase, scheduled to run through at least April 2002.

The picture shown here reveals hundreds of light-toned layers in the 167 kilometers (104 miles) wide basin named for 19th Century French physicist Antoine H. Becquerel (1852-1908). These layers are interpreted to be sedimentary rocks deposited in the crater at some time in the distant past. They have since been eroded and exposed, revealing faults, dark layers between the bright layers, and a long geologic history (of unknown duration) recorded in these materials. Sets of parallel faults can be seen cutting across the layers in the left third of the image. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the top/upper right.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/MSSS

Image Addition Date:
2001-02-08