The Thermal Emission Spectrometer on the Mars Global Surveyor detected hematite along the chasma floor and edges of these mesas in Capi Chasma. Hematite on Earth is typically formed in aqueous environments or by aqueous alteration, so its presence warranted investigation by the two Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, that found a significant amount of the mineral.

ID: ESP_022698_1670
date: 31 May 2011
altitude: 264 km

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_022698_1670
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
#Mars #science #NASA