Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation
The following case was submitted to The Black Vault. Although there was no formal investigation or conclusion posted, it is archived here for reference purposes.
The photograph was taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on 29 December 2006. It was originally posted and profiled by Jean Ward on YouTube. According to Mr. Ward:
Here I feature an anomaly I discovered at a new site in Ceti Mensa in the region Valles Marineris. The anomaly looks like a disc-shaped object which hit the surface of Mars at a very low angle and left a trench behind it. The disc-shaped object measures approximately 12 to 15 metres in diameter. Apart from removing a few sand dunes to highlight the object I didn’t change anything else in the photograph. To see the anomaly for yourselves please download the original JP2 from the NASA link provided below and download HiVIEW to open the JP2 (the anomaly is right there for anyone to see).
Alternatives: Could this possibly be a ramp leading into an underground entrance or is this an incomplete Project Ice-Worm structure? Or are we seeing a strange arc-shaped dune?
As always, until we get to see these anomalies up close and personal, I can only speculate as to what these objects might be.
In December of 2021, the image gained a lot of traction and was profiled on various sites making extraordinary claims. However, as Mr. Ward said, it is pure speculation at this point.
The Black Vault will add additional information, should it be presented, but for now – you can download the uncompressed image below, along with a .gif
The Evidence
The RAW data
Below, I have archived a .zip file of both the ORIGINAL and UNCOMPRESSED .JP2 file. These do need special viewers, which in this case, I used IRFANVIEW. In addition, I created a .png (no compression) copy, for much easier viewing, as that is a more generic format.
(Original sources files distributed by the University of Arizona)
The Official Caption
The below was written by Chris Okubo (8 December 2008). It explains the scientific breakdown of what we are looking at (with no note of the anomaly):
This image shows spectacular layers exposed on the bottom of Candor Chasma, a large canyon in the Valles Marineris system.
The floor here is approximately 4 kilometers below the canyon rim. The layers are made of sand- and dust-sized particles that were transported here by either wind or water. This canyon may have been filled to its rim by these sedimentary layers, subsequently eroded away, most likely by the wind. The elongate hills may represent areas of rock that are stronger due to differences in the size of the sedimentary particles, chemical alteration, or both.
One of the most eye-catching aspects of this scene are the intricate swirls that these layers form. Sedimentary rock generally accumulates in horizontal layers. These layers, however, have been folded into the patterns that we see today. Folding of the layers that are exposed here may have occurred due to the weight of overlying sediments.
Understanding the geologic history of this region may provide clues into the history of water on Mars, because these layers may have accumulated in shallow lakes and may have undergone chemical reactions with this water. The presence of certain kinds of chemical reactions between water and rock can release energy that could have sustained habitable oases in these areas.
The Analysis
Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation by The Black Vault.
The original discoverer did make a video analyzing the footage (there is no endorsement by The Black Vault on the speculation/conclusions/etc.). You can view that here:
Conclusion
Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation by The Black Vault.
Follow The Black Vault on Social Media:This post was published on December 14, 2021