Trench

        This mosaic was acquired by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on Sol 055 (March 20, 2004). The rover used its front wheel as a digging tool, providing a view under the topmost layers of Martian soil. This way, scientists were able to gather information about soil composition a few centimeters beneath the surface. This trench is about 51 centimeters (about 20 inches) wide. Pancam's 601nm, 535nm, and 482nm filters were used in this mosaic.  Three versions are available below at full resolution: an approximate true color rendering, a false color stretch to enhance the subtle color differences in the scene, and a stereo anaglyph to simulate the scene in 3D when viewed through red-blue glasses. The mosaics are vertical projections.

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
June 13, 2013