This image shows an impact crater in Utopia Planitia, in the northern hemisphere of Mars, that is filled with layered material.

The layered character of these deposits is consistent with episodic deposition. Each distinct layer represents a period of sediment deposition. The layers are parallel to each other, indicating that deposition occurred by material settling onto the surface, rather than being blown across the surface in sand dunes. The hummocky texture of these deposits suggests that volatiles (such as carbon dioxide ice) are mixed in with the rocky sediment.
Written by: Chris Okubo

All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible: Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. The image data were processed using the U.S. Geological Survey’s ISIS3 software.