This photo shows an outcrop on Mars; the image was transmitted to Earth by a robotic rover traveling over the Martian surface

When geologists saw this image, some of them suggested that the rocks could be evidence of flowing water at some point in Martian history. What do you see to support that hypothesis? What process other than flowing water might produce the features visible in the photo? What additional information would you use to distinguish between these two hypotheses?
What will be an ideal response?


The photo appears to have cross-bedding which could support a hypothesis for claiming sediment movement by flowing water. Cross-bedding can form from both water and wind. This means that these cross-beds could have also formed in the absence of water. Wind cannot transport pebbles while flowing water can. So, examining the grain size may distinguish water and wind currents as agents for forming cross-bedding.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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