Some of the very oldest sedimentary rocks on Mars, perhaps the best places to search for signs of ancient life, may be exposed in the deeply eroded rim of the giant Hellas impact basin. The study of such geologic strata may inform the early evolution not only of Mars, but also Earth, where such ancient rocks are poorly preserved.

A stereo pair of HiRISE images over such layered bedrock has been processed into a digital terrain model, from which we produce image products composed of color-coded elevation combined with shaded relief. We also produced a perspective view of the rugged terrain. These products were generated from observations ESP_049898_1560 and ESP_049832_1560. The color images show diverse colors, perhaps due to alteration by water.

Written by: Alfred McEwen  (12 February 2024)


This is a stereo pair with ESP_049898_1560.