Boulder Fall Activity in the Jezero Crater, Mars

Abstract

Jezero crater is the landing site for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. We report 63 boulder fall tracks within the crater using High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images. The boulder tracks have both fresh and faded morphologies similar to those reported elsewhere on Mars, but reported for the first time in Jezero crater. We combine observations from 16 boulder-tracks on the western delta deposit with 47 in the surrounding regions to infer possible process(es) of boulder destabilization, which can be tested with rover observations. This newly found hazard should be taken into account for rover operations. Boulders associated with tracks are geologically “recent falls,” so it is possible that the surfaces of these boulders may provide an opportunity to sample material less exposed to radiation than other rocks at the martian surface and could be ideal targets to analyze for organics.