Jezero Crater delta landing site (THEMIS_IOTD_20190812)

At the top of today's VIS image is a delta deposit that was created by the flow from the rim channel into the crater.

 

Deltas form when sediments settle out due to a decrease in speed of a river system. Deltas often form where large rivers flow into the ocean, like the Mississippi and Nile deltas.

 

This can also occur where rivers flow into large lakes, such as the Great Salt Lake and Lake St. Clair river deltas. It is believed that the Jezero Crater delta formed this way.

 

The delta in Jezero Crater has been chosen as the landing site for the Mars 2020 rover mission.

 

This martian scene spans 18 x 66 kilometers (11 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20190812a

 

Today's VIS image has a channel dissecting a crater rim, flowing from the interior of a large crater into a smaller crater on the large crater's floor. The two craters are unnamed and located in northern Terra Sabaea.

 

This martian scene spans 19 x 67 kilometers (12 x 42 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20190813a

 

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

 

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu.

 

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

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