Dark Bands Run Through Light Layers



by Staff Writers



Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 20, 2012



This mosaic from the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity rover shows a close-up view looking toward the "Glenelg" area, where three different terrain types come together. All three types are observed from orbit with the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

By driving there, Curiosity will be able to explore them.

One of these terrain types is light-toned with well-developed layering, which likely records the deposition of sedimentary materials.

There are also black bands that run through the area and might constitute additional layers that alternate with the light-toned layer(s).

The black bands are not easily seen from orbit and are on the order of about 3.3-feet (1-meter) thick.

Both of these layer types are important science targets.

This mosaic is composed of images taken with the Mastcam 100-millimeter camera.