Geologic Mapping of the Meridiani Region of Mars

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity observed an upper layer of a more than 600-m-thick sequence of light toned outcrops that characterize the Meridiani region of Mars. Results from the rover analyses have shown that the bedrock contains mineral and textural characteristics that require the interaction of, and possibly an overall formation by, water-related mechanisms in order to be explained. Additionally, remote sensing studies of the region have suggested that the rocks sampled in places by the MER rover consist of many distinct layers extending over an area of more than 3 X 10(exp 5) square km spanning 20 of longitude.