Brain Crater on Mars
Explanation:
What caused this unusual looking crater floor on Mars?
Appearing at first glance to resemble the
human brain,
the natural phenomena that created the unusual texture
on the floor of this Martian
impact
crater
are currently under investigation.
The light colored region surrounding the brain-textured region is likely
sand dunes sculpted by
winds.
The
Mars Global Surveyor robot spacecraft that has been
orbiting Mars since 1997 took the
above image.
Meanwhile, down on the surface, robots
Spirit and
Opportunity
continue to roll, inspecting
landscape,
rocks, and
soil for clues to the ancient
watery past of the
red planet.
Humorously, this
brain-terrain on
Mars spans about a kilometer, making it just about
the right size to fit inside the
rock formation once dubbed the
Face on
Mars.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
