
The gullies in this image are within the valley wall of an ancient channel-Nirgal Vallis-a testament to flowing water in Mars' ancient past. However, the formation of gullies are still the subject of much debate with respect to their formation: "wet" vs. "dry" or even "dry" with the aid of some lubricating fluid. Gullies most commonly form in the steep walls of simple craters. Gullies are common even in cold arctic deserts on Earth (e.g., the Haughton impact structure on Devon Island). This suggests that these provocative features can form on a mostly dry Mars that is only sporadically wet. Regardless, these features bear a remarkable resemblance to flowers, including the blossom, petals, stem, and roots. Can you see it too? http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19294
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
NASA ID
PIA19294
Date Created
February 11, 2015
Center
JPL
Media Type
image
Download this image in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.
Medium
960px