The layers shown in this image formed by loose sediment accumulating within Becquerel Crater.

The layers are interesting in that there are repeated cycles of thick and thin layers. These cyclic changes in layer thickness shows that some environmental conditions varied in a repeated way as each subsequent layer was deposited.

These variations may be due to annual climate cycles and/or a cyclic variability in the source of the sediment. Most layers are parallel to each other, indicating that deposition occurred by material settling onto the surface. A few layers are cross-bedded, meaning that they are not parallel to the older or younger layers.

Cross-bedding indicates that at the time that the layers were deposited, the sediment was transported along the ground surface by wind or water.Written by: Chris Okubo   (10 October 2007)

This is a stereo pair with PSP_001955_2015.