Features in Schiaparelli

The interior of the Schiaparelli impact basin has been modified by multiple geological processes including the fall of ejecta blasted upwards by the initial impact, the flow of lava to create the smooth plains and watery sediments. Box 1 shows part of these sedimentary deposits. The sediments forming the smooth plains in Box 2 have been modified by erosion, either by wind or water, or both to form sharp contours such as the skinny plateau at bottom left. The prominent crater in Box 3 is 42 km across and is embedded in the inner basin rim of Schiaparelli. The interior of the crater is filled with sediments, which appear to form a terrace in the northern part and a delta-like structure near the centre. The image is centred on the equator of Mars, at a longitude of about 14°E, and was taken on 15 July 2010 by the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on ESA’s Mars Express. The spacecraft was completing orbit 8363 of Mars.