Ophir Chasma /ˈoʊfər ˈkæzmə/ is a canyon in the Coprates quadrangle of Mars at 4° south latitude and 72.5° west longitude.
The word chasma has been designated by the International Astronomical Union to refer to an elongate, steep-sided depression.
Some cliffs on Mars show a few darker layers standing out and often breaking into large pieces; these are thought to be hard volcanic rock instead of soft ash deposits.
It is likely the rock strata in the walls preserve a long geological history of Mars.
Probably having been formed in water, sulfate deposits are of great interest to scientists because they may contain traces of ancient life.
[7] On August 19, 2015 ISRO released the 3D portrayals[dead link] of Ophir Chasma taken by Mars Orbiter Mission.