Dark sands and bright sediments in Trouvelot Crater on Mars
Dark sands and bright sediments in Trouvelot Crater on Mars
The 150-kilometre-wide Trouvelot Crater in the highlands of Arabia Terra formed approximately four billion years ago. Since then, it has been altered by various geological processes. Over time, the crater rim has eroded, causing material to slide into the crater. In the background, terraces are visible on the crater rim – the result of massive landslides. Wind carried finely crushed, dark volcanic material into the crater. It is likely that a lake once existed in Trouvelot, in which sediment layers were deposited and transformed into bright minerals. These formed a 20-kilometre-long hill.