CRISM scene HRL00003BEE covers an area in close proximity to a crater in the northern plains of Mars. In this image, we see strong Fe-rich olivine (yellow) and high calcium pyroxene (HCP, blue) signatures in the ejecta near the crater rim. This is indicative of mafic minerals that have been excavated by this impact crater from a depth of up to 4 km below the current surface, possibly representing previously buried ancient crust. Extensive sedimentary and volcanic deposits cover the northern lowlands of Mars dating back to the Hesperian era. Craters like this one can offer a glimpse of the composition of the underlying older crust.
CRISM scene HRL00003BEE covers an area in close proximity to a crater in the northern plains of Mars. In this image, we see strong Fe-rich olivine (yellow) and high calcium pyroxene (HCP, blue) signatures in the ejecta near the crater rim. This is indicative of mafic minerals that have been excavated by this impact crater from a depth of up to 4 km below the current surface, possibly representing previously buried ancient crust. Extensive sedimentary and volcanic deposits cover the northern lowlands of Mars dating back to the Hesperian era. Craters like this one can offer a glimpse of the composition of the underlying older crust.
The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad.
CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument also tracks seasonal variations in dust and ice aerosols in the Martian atmosphere, and water content in surface materials — leading to new understanding of the climate.
