Inverted Riverbed in Gale Crater, Mars

thingiverse

Gale Crater is a massive impact crater, approximately 152 kilometers in diameter, situated near the Martian equator. At its center lies a colossal mound of layered material, with an average vertical thickness of nearly four kilometers, more than double that of the Grand Canyon's exposed layers on Earth. A segment of this mound is visible here, showcasing an inverted fluvial or river channel. Topographic inversion occurs when sediments are compacted together, forming a harder layer resistant to later erosion. This subsequent erosion has selectively removed material outside the channel, revealing the former riverbed as a ridge—a topographic high point. Scientists initially detected this inverted channel using Mars Orbiter Camera images onboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. (Note: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.3)