Impact Crater on the South Polar Layered Deposits (EDM n.2 - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)

Of particular interest is the small, approx. 330 meter (360 yard) diameter Impact Crater. The number of Impact Craters on a Planetary Surface is often used to estimate the age of that Surface (because the older a Surface is, the more time that Surface has had to accumulate Craters, and thus the more Craters that Surface will have on it - assuming, of course, a constant "Cratering Rate" - Nota Lunexit: questa è un'assunzione, a dir poco, azzardata...).

The SPLD on Mars are believed to be very young because there are no large Craters on them and very few small Craters. The high resolution of HiRISE will enable these Craters to be studied in detail, perhaps allowing the number of Craters — and thus the Surface age — to be better constrained.