An isolated, elongated mound (about 1 mile wide and 3.75 miles long) rises above the smooth, surrounding plains. Horizontal layers are exposed at the northern end of the mound, and its surface is characterized by a very unusual quasi-circular pattern with varying colors that likely reflect diverse mineral compositions.

A closer view shows that the rock has a range of textures, from massive and fractured on the left, to subtle banding or layering on the right. The origin of this mound is unknown, but its formation may be related to the clay-bearing rocks in the nearby Oxia Planum region.

ID: ESP_066622_2000
date: 12 October 2020
altitude: 283 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_066622_2000
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
#Mars #science #NASA