A massive crater located in Utopia Planitia on Mars has been imaged by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO).
Utopia Planitia is the largest known impact basin in the solar system, with a diameter of over 3,300 km.
The crater imaged is around 8 km across and shows signs of icy material from when an asteroid hit the region in the distant past.
Heat from the impact would have melted ice and forced a mixture of water and dust upwards, leaving streaks visible on crater walls.
Ripples on the crater also indicate dust has been sculpted by wind over time.
The smooth surface of the crater is consistent with other features in the region that show evidence of a past presence of water ice.
Imaging the crater helps understand Mars’ water history and the existence of ancient life by mapping water-rich locations for future rover missions.
In addition to photography, the ExoMars orbiter studies Mars’ atmosphere and maps the surface to aid in these scientific goals.
Source: Space
