NASA rovers uncover ancient Martian sandstorms and impact layers

NASA’s Curiosity rover identified wind‑ripple structures in Gale Crater that date to about 3.5 billion years ago, providing the first direct evidence of an ancient sandstorm and suggesting a thicker atmosphere on early Mars.

Separately, NASA’s Perseverance rover examined a 75‑meter‑thick sequence of layered rock on the rim of Jezero Crater, dubbed the “Broom Point member.” The strata, over 3.9 billion years old, contain breccias with gas‑bubble cavities and abundant glassy beads, indicating repeated high‑energy asteroid impacts that melted rock material. These findings together highlight a period when early Mars experienced strong winds and frequent violent impacts, reshaping its surface and atmosphere.