PIA08476: South Layers
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows remnants of layered materials near the west rim of South Crater, Mars. The composition of these layered rocks is unknown -- are they the remains of sedimentary rocks or accumulations of dust and ice?
 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:  672 x 1520 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems 
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1468  
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA08476.tif (1.023 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA08476.jpg (255.9 kB)  

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Original Caption Released with Image:

20 May 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows remnants of layered materials near the west rim of South Crater, Mars. The composition of these layered rocks is unknown -- are they the remains of sedimentary rocks or accumulations of dust and ice? We'll probably not know until someone visits this area, perhaps centuries from now.

Location near: 77.4°S, 341.5°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season: Southern Summer

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2006-05-20