Eberswalde: A Delta Within a Delta

A big body of water left behind dried lake-bottom deposits in this crater. The crater was a top landing site candidate for the Mars Exploration Rovers. Scientists still favor this location because it contains an ancient delta at the foot of a Martian river. Deltas only form in places where water existed over long periods of time. A well-preserved network of water-flow features exists here, including winding stream channels and riverbeds. Water-deposited sediments hardened in these streambeds and they have resisted erosion by the wind. As a result, many of the streambeds here are higher than surrounding terrain. Reactions between water and volcanic rock created the clays found here. Clay minerals are an important sign of a watery past. They also have the potential to preserve any signs of life for a long time.

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