Photo: Layering at Ganges Chasma on Mars

This image shows the geologic contact between the walls of Ganges Chasma and the adjacent plains. Ganges Chasma is one of several deep troughs that make up the Valles Marineris system on Mars. The upper slopes of the walls of Ganges have layering that appears dark, rough, and blocky, consistent with lava flows that are thought to make up the plains around Valles Marineris. Outside of Ganges on the plains is an unusual deposit that appears bright and is eroding back from the walls of Ganges, indicating the deposit isn’t as resistant to erosion by the wind as the underlying lava flows. [More information and images]

This image shows the geologic contact between the walls of Ganges Chasma and the adjacent plains. Ganges Chasma is one of several deep troughs that make up the Valles Marineris system on Mars. The upper slopes of the walls of Ganges have layering that appears dark, rough, and blocky, consistent with lava flows that are thought to make up the plains around Valles Marineris. Outside of Ganges on the plains is an unusual deposit that appears bright and is eroding back from the walls of Ganges, indicating the deposit isn’t as resistant to erosion by the wind as the underlying lava flows. [More information and images]