Lake Jezero
The Lake Jezero is a crater lake on Mars. It is 45 km in diameter. It was once flooded with water. The lake was formed during a period when there was continual surface runoff. It was discovered in 2007. In the Slavic languages, Jezero means lake.
What Should I know for My UPSC Exams?
About the lake
The crater lake consists of clay minerals. The Reconnaissance orbiter of Mars 2020 mission of NASA identified smectite clays. It also found that the lake consists of steep slopes called escarpments.
Jezero and NASA?s Mars 2020 mission
In 2018, the lake was chosen as the landing site of Perseverance rover of the Mars 2020 mission of NASA. In 2021, with the help of the images sent by Perseverance rover, scientists concluded that the lake was once fed by small rivers. Also, the lake is said to have delta deposits. Thus, Jezero was once a delta-lake system. The lake also encountered frequent flash floods. The images of Perseverance reveal that Jezero has fan shaped river delta. The floods in the delta carried debris and rocks into the crater. The Jezero consists of distinct layers with boulders up to 1.5 metres. Boulders are rocks that are worn smooth by erosion. This shows that meandering waterways fed the delta and must have later transformed by flash floods.