Western Rim of Endeavour Crater Digital Terrain Model

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The labeled image below is a digital terrain model (DTM) of the Western rim of Endeavour Crater overlain with a northward perspective from HiRISE and compositional data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). This is the area Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been investigating since 2011.

Click to see hires version from HiRISE

This image has been instrumental in planning Opportunity's movements and continuously developing mission. As indicated in the image above, orbital data has identified areas where clay (red), sulfate (green), and volcanic (blue) minerals could be present. Clays and sulfates are indicative of a watery past on Mars as they often only form in the presence of significant moisture.

Opportunity is currently around Cape York, but heading south in an attempt to discover more about the geology of Endeavour Crater.

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Mars Photo of the Day - Oct 29 2011

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Today's Image of Mars is a close-up view of the layered deposits near Mawrth Vallis, a channel that was most likely carved by water at some point in the past. The varying tones of each layer is likely reflective of differences in mineral content. The dark patches that you see on the layers are sand dunes. 

CRISM has detected clays in the Mawrth Vallis region, so the layers may be rich in clays. Clays are another indication of past water on Mars because they are only known to form by interaction with water. Needless to say, Mawrth Vallis has consistently been a landing site candidate for proposed missions to Mars. 

This image is a subimage of a larger, captioned image by HiRISE, which you can view by clicking on this image. 

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Mars Photo of the Day - Oct 3 2011

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Today's Image of Mars is of the floor of the trough Tithonium Chasma, located in Valles Marineris, a large canyon system on Mars. As discussed in yesterday's Mars Photo of the Day, scientists are interested in these canyon systems because they provide a view of older material beneath the surface, which can provide insight into the past climate of Mars and changes that occurred. 

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's CRISM has determined that sulfates and iron oxides are present in the general region in the form of layered deposits. This implies the past existence of water because sulfates are typically formed in the presence of water.

This photo links to the original captioned photo by HiRISE.

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