NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
Bright Layers in Columbus Crater
This digital topographic model (DTM) covers a portion of the northern wall of Columbus crater, a crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) in diameter.

Layered sedimentary rocks are found on the crater walls and floor. These rocks have subsequently been eroded to expose their successive layers in cross-section. The DTM provides a way to measure the thicknesses and orientations of the layers, constraining the geologic processes that may have formed them.

The near-infrared spectrometer CRISM has revealed that these layers contain various hydrated minerals, including clays and sulfate salts. This perspective view of the 6 kilometer (4 mile)-wide DTM area has been colorized to show the locations of these minerals; pink colors correspond to sulfates and bright green to clays.

The perspective view reveals that the sulfate-bearing sedimentary layers are eroding back to reveal underlying clay-bearing layers. These hydrated minerals and layered deposits likely formed in the presence of water nearly 4 billion years ago.

Written by James Wray
 
DTM & ORTHOIMAGES
DTEEC_005429_1510_005851_1510_A01   (653 MB)

PSP_005429_1510_RED_A_01_ORTHO
(555 MB)

PSP_005851_1510_RED_A_01_ORTHO
(517 MB)

PSP_005851_1510_RED_C_01_ORTHO
(39 MB)

PSP_005429_1510_RED_C_01_ORTHO
(35 MB)

Full directory listing

DTM EXTRAS
PSP_005429_1510_RED_C_01_ORTHO
(Annotated Browse)
DTEEC_005429_1510_005851_1510_A01
(Annotated Browse)
PSP_005851_1510_RED_C_01_ORTHO
(Annotated Browse)
DTEEC_005429_1510_005851_1510_A01
(Shaded Relief)
DTEEC_005429_1510_005851_1510_A01
(Color Altimetry)

Extras Read me
Extras directory listing
STEREO PAIR
Left observation
PSP_005429_1510

Right observation
PSP_005851_1510

Latitude (center)
-28.4°

Longitude (center)
193.9°

Map scale
1.00 meter/pixel

North azimuth
270°


RESOURCES
About DTMs
How to use DTMs