Selection of the Mars Science Laboratory Landing Site

Golombek, M. P.; Grant, J. A.; Kipp, D.; Vasavada, A. R.; Kirk, R.; Fergason, R. L.; Bellutta, P.; Calef, F.; Larsen, K. W.; Katayama, Yuji; Huertas, A.; Beyer, R. A.; Chen, A.; Parker, T. J.; Pollard, B.; Lee, S.; Sun, Yuhang; Hoover, Rachel; Sladek, H.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Welch, Richard V.; Dobrea, E. Noe; Michalski, J.; Watkins, M. M.

doi:10.1007/s11214-012-9916-y

Cited by 224 publications

(124 citation statements)

References 117 publications

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“…The highest inferred post-Noachian erosion rates for light-toned layered deposits on Mars are *1-3 μm/year during the early Hesperian (e.g. Golombek et al 2006;Zabrusky et al 2012), although it should be noted that the abrasion rates at sites of most active sand transport today could be an order of magnitude higher (Bridges et al 2012b). At 3 μm/year, a *5 km deep moat would require *1.7 Ga to form, thus extending the erosional period into the Amazonian (when rates were likely even lower) and in conflict with the early Hesperian exposure age of the crater floor unit onlapping the mound (Thomson et al 2011).…”

Section: Mound Formation Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fortunately, these ionization rates would be outpaced even by the low Amazonian erosion rates of *1-10 nm/year inferred for (Gale-like?) sedimentary rocks in Meridiani (Golombek et al 2006). Still, the most promising targets may be small impact craters, both because relatively recent impacts could have ejected or exposed rocks from beneath the ionized layer and because erosion may be locally accelerated a hundred-or thousand-fold above the background level following impacts (Golombek et al 2010).…”

Section: Astrobiological Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…sedimentary rocks in Meridiani (Golombek et al 2006). Still, the most promising targets may be small impact craters, both because relatively recent impacts could have ejected or exposed rocks from beneath the ionized layer and because erosion may be locally accelerated a hundred-or thousand-fold above the background level following impacts (Golombek et al 2010). Regardless, the low elevation and consequently thick atmosphere over Aeolis Palus and the Lower formation imply a relatively low cosmic ray flux compared with most Martian terrains (e.g.…”

Section: Astrobiological Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cabrol et al 1999) has made Gale a site of great geological and astrobiological interest. It was proposed as a candidate landing site for the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission (Bridges 2001), but was eliminated because the MER landing position uncertainty ellipse was wider than any flat portions of the crater floor (Golombek et al 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gale crater: the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing Site

Wray¹

2012

International Journal of Astrobiology

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Gale crater formed from an impact on Mars *3.6 billion years ago. It hosts a central mound nearly 100 km wide and *5 km high, consisting of layered rocks with a variety of textures and spectral properties. The oldest exposed layers contain variably hydrated sulphates and smectite clay minerals, implying an aqueous origin, whereas the younger layers higher on the mound are covered by a mantle of dust. Fluvial channels carved into the crater walls and the lower mound indicate that surface liquids were present during and after deposition of the mound material. Numerous hypotheses have been advocated for the origin of some or all minerals and layers in the mound, ranging from deep lakes to playas to mostly dry dune fields to airfall dust or ash subjected to only minor alteration driven by snowmelt. The complexity of the mound suggests that multiple depositional and diagenetic processes are represented in the materials exposed today. Beginning in August 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity will explore Gale crater by ascending the mound's northwestern flank, providing unprecedented new detail on the evolution of environmental conditions and habitability over many millions of years during which the mound strata accumulated.

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Section: Mound Formation Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Astrobiological Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Astrobiological Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gale crater: the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing Site

Wray¹

2012

International Journal of Astrobiology

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“…The HiRISE instrument (McEwen et al, 2007) provides the highest resolution images (25 cm per pixel), which was also used to create a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (1 m per pixel elevation) (Golombek et al, 2012;Kirk et al, 2011). The CTX camera (Malin et al, 2007) provides $6 m resolution gray scale images with broader coverage than the HiRISE images, and was used for some of the mapping.…”

Section: Crater Measurements From Orbital Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Gale crater and impact processes – Curiosity’s first 364 Sols on Mars

Newsom¹,

Mangold

Kah

et al. 2015

Icarus

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Sequence of infilling events in Gale Crater, Mars: Results from morphology, stratigraphy, and mineralogy

et al. 2013

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[1] Gale Crater is filled by sedimentary deposits including a mound of layered deposits, Aeolis Mons. Using orbital data, we mapped the crater infillings and measured their geometry to determine their origin. The sediment of Aeolis Mons is interpreted to be primarily air fall material such as dust, volcanic ash, fine-grained impact products, and possibly snow deposited by settling from the atmosphere, as well as wind-blown sands cemented in the crater center. Unconformity surfaces between the geological units are evidence for depositional hiatuses. Crater floor material deposited around Aeolis Mons and on the crater wall is interpreted to be alluvial and colluvial deposits. Morphologic evidence suggests that a shallow lake existed after the formation of the lowermost part of Aeolis Mons (the Small yardangs unit and the mass-wasting deposits). A suite of several features including patterned ground and possible rock glaciers are suggestive of periglacial processes with a permafrost environment after the first hundreds of thousands of years following its formation, dated to~3.61 Ga, in the Late Noachian/Early Hesperian. Episodic melting of snow in the crater could have caused the formation of sulfates and clays in Aeolis Mons, the formation of rock glaciers and the incision of deep canyons and valleys along its flanks as well as on the crater wall and rim, and the formation of a lake in the deepest portions of Gale.

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Selection of the Mars Science Laboratory Landing Site

Cited by 224 publications

References 117 publications

Gale crater: the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing Site

Gale crater: the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing Site

Gale crater and impact processes – Curiosity’s first 364 Sols on Mars

Sequence of infilling events in Gale Crater, Mars: Results from morphology, stratigraphy, and mineralogy

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