Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Paleo-lakes in Meridiani.

Hi Bob, glad to see some counter opinions!

I think the micro images show that the hematite spherules formed concurrently with the rock that they are embedded in. This is not so counter to the "Nasa" explanation, that they are diagenetic. This evidence is the occasional deflection of the thin harder layers abutting the spheres.

As far as these rocks being aeolian, Nasa continues to blunder on that. Get real. You would be hard pressed to find more flat layered, finely bedded rocks anywhere but in a (semi) permanent aqueous environment. The one good example of high angle cross bedding seen at the base of Burns cliff could easily be a small thrust fault resulting from tectonic folding or more likely impact - the lower bed had no cross bedding within it, there is just this one cross bedded contact. That lower wedge could have lifted Burns Cliff higher than the surroundings, and given a point of weakness at the base, thus forming the steeper cliff. There are a few good examples of wavy bedding, but it is uncommon compared with the perfect flat bedding. Only lacustrine, continental shelf, and abyssal deposits not subjected to much post depositional stress are so lacking in turbulent features.

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