Mineralogy of the MSL Curiosity landing site in Gale crater as observed by MRO/CRISM
Abstract
Orbital data acquired by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment instruments on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide a synoptic view of compositional stratigraphy on the floor of Gale crater surrounding the area where the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity landed. Fractured, light-toned material exhibits a 2.2 µm absorption consistent with enrichment in hydroxylated silica. This material may be distal sediment from the Peace Vallis fan, with cement and fracture fill containing the silica. This unit is overlain by more basaltic material, which has 1 µm and 2 µm absorptions due to pyroxene that are typical of Martian basaltic materials. Both materials are partially obscured by aeolian dust and basaltic sand. Dunes to the southeast exhibit differences in mafic mineral signatures, with barchan dunes enhanced in olivine relative to pyroxene-containing longitudinal dunes. This compositional difference may be related to aeolian grain sorting.
Additional Information
© 2014 American Geophysical Union. Received 23 Apr 2014. Accepted 3 Jul 2014. Accepted article online 8 Jul 2014. Published online 23 Jul 2014. All data are publically available through the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS). We thank the MSL and MRO projects, the CRISM Science Operations Center, and the HiRISE Operations Center for collection and processing of the data shown here. We would also like to thank Melissa Lane and Brad Thomson for thoughtful reviews that improved the manuscript and Sheridan Ackiss for helping to finalize the manuscript. The Editor thanks Bradley Thomson and Melissa Lane for their assistance in evaluating this paper.Attached Files
Published - grl51899.pdf
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- CaltechAUTHORS:20140911-145942879
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2014-09-11Created from EPrint's datestamp field
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2022-11-30Created from EPrint's last_modified field
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- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences