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Nili Fossae Trough from CRISM and HiRISE

Nili Fossae Trough from CRISM and HiRISE
Nili Fossae Trough from CRISM and HiRISE The blooming purples and greens in this image of the west wall of Nili Fossae, northwest of Mars' Isidis basin, map the signatures of minerals in the Martian bedrock that scientists hope to sample with a future rover. In this image, the blues and magentas map locations where CRISM sees the spectral signature of phyllosilicates, minerals that form when igneous minerals such as olivine and pyroxene are altered in the presence of water. Greenish colors imply the presence of low-calcium pyroxene, a mineral that formed very early in Mars' history with the hottest volcanic activity. A lander sent to one of these greenish areas has the potential to sample Mars' youth. NASA / JPL-Caltech / U. Arizona / JHUAPL