The European spacecraft Mars Express has sent a snapshot of the southern region are partially covered Martian crater with a diameter of about 440 km, informally called the Palm.

This area probe photographed on April 27, is of great interest to scientists because shows clear traces of ancient lakes and rivers. Huge flows of water cut through the southern highlands, falling into the Palm.

Elliptical craters like this 16-kilometer example, are formed when asteroids and comets fall on the planet's surface at a low angle.

Scientists believe that the location of discarded material that looks liquefied, indicates the presence of subsurface ice melted during the impact. Subsequent strokes created in this material are several smaller craters.

Locking the craters of the Sigli and Shamba, probably formed later, when some body has divided into two fragments directly before impact. In some of subsequent ages craters were partially filled with sediments.

In craters are visible deep fissures in the center of the image and right are the craters smaller and more subtle curved cracks. Last extend beyond images and form a concentric patterns. Cracks, apparently, was the result of compaction of sediments.

The confluence of the valleys of the Palm in the hollow of the same name located to the East of the Sigli and Shamba, that is towards the bottom of the image. Here (and in some other parts of the picture), you can see laminated sediment light tones. In these deposits scientists discovered clay minerals, which indicates a relatively long presence in this area of liquid water in the past.

In addition, over the Sigli and Shamba are winding, reminiscent of the valley arborescence, which flows into the larger basin, which also shows the flow of water.