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Discolored Fracture Zones in Martian Sandstone

Discolored Fracture Zones in Martian Sandstone

May 30, 2017

Pale zones called "halos" border bedrock fractures visible in this 2015 image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. Measurements overlaid on the image offer a sense of scale for the size of these fractures. The rover team determined that the halos are rich in silica, a clue to the duration of wet environmental conditions long ago. The location is on the lower slope of Mars' Mount Sharp.

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NASA/JPL-Caltech

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