Science and Exploration

Old Salt Deposits On Mars

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
NASA
November 26, 2022
Filed under
Old Salt Deposits On Mars
Old Salt Deposits On Mars
NASA

What is that “purplish” colored stuff (in HiRISE infrared-red-blue color) with the polygonal fractures in this observation?

Scientists think it contains chlorides, like sodium chloride or table salt, or maybe chloride of calcium or magnesium.

These salts can be deposited during the evaporation or water in lakes or playas. These deposits are billions of years old, so it is truly old salt, not a fish tale.

ID: ESP_044502_1735
date: 24 January 2016
altitude: 262 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_044502_1735NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.