The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

S. W. Squyres; R. E. Arvidson; J. F. Bell; J. Brückner; N. A. Cabrol; W. Calvin; M. H. Carr; P. R. Christensen; B. C. Clark; L. Crumpler; D. J. Des Marais; C. D'Uston; T. Economou; J. Farmer; W. Farrand; W. Folkner; M. Golombek; S. Gorevan; J. A. Grant; R. Greeley; J. Grotzinger; L. Haskin; K. E. Herkenhoff; S. Hviid; J. Johnson; G. Klingelhöfer; A. H. Knoll; G. Landis; M. Lemmon; R. Li; M. B. Madsen; M. C. Malin; S. M. McLennan; H. Y. McSween; D. W. Ming; J. Moersch; R. V. Morris; T. Parker; J. W. Rice; L. Richter; R. Rieder; M. Sims; M. Smith; P. Smith; L. A. Soderblom; R. Sullivan; H. Wänke; T. Wdowiak; M. Wolff; A. Yen

doi:10.1126/science.1106171

The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

S. W. Squyres, R. E. Arvidson, J. F. Bell, J. Brückner, N. A. Cabrol, W. Calvin, M. H. Carr, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, L. Crumpler, D. J. Des Marais, C. D'Uston, T. Economou, J. Farmer, W. Farrand, W. Folkner, M. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. GreeleyJ. Grotzinger, L. Haskin, K. E. Herkenhoff, S. Hviid, J. Johnson, G. Klingelhöfer, A. H. Knoll, G. Landis, M. Lemmon, R. Li, M. B. Madsen, M. C. Malin, S. M. McLennan, H. Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, J. Moersch, R. V. Morris, T. Parker, J. W. Rice, L. Richter, R. Rieder, M. Sims, M. Smith, P. Smith, L. A. Soderblom, R. Sullivan, H. Wänke, T. Wdowiak, M. Wolff, A. Yen

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

473 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated the landing site in Eagle crater and the nearby plains within Meridiani Planum. The soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand and a surface lag of hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, and other granules. Wind ripples are common. Underlying the thin soil layer, and exposed within small impact craters and troughs, are flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks are finely laminated, are rich in sulfur, and contain abundant sulfate salts. Small-scale cross-lamination in some locations provides evidence for deposition in flowing liquid water. We interpret the rocks to be a mixture of chemical and siliciclastic sediments formed by episodic inundation by shallow surface water, followed by evaporation, exposure, and desiccation. Hematite-rich spherules are embedded in the rock and eroding from them. We interpret these spherules to be concretions formed by postdepositional diagenesis, again involving liquid water.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1698-1703
Number of pages	6
Journal	Science
Volume	306
Issue number	5702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106171
State	Published - Dec 3 2004

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Squyres, S. W., Arvidson, R. E., Bell, J. F., Brückner, J., Cabrol, N. A., Calvin, W., Carr, M. H., Christensen, P. R., Clark, B. C., Crumpler, L., Des Marais, D. J., D'Uston, C., Economou, T., Farmer, J., Farrand, W., Folkner, W., Golombek, M., Gorevan, S., Grant, J. A., ... Yen, A. (2004). The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Science, 306(5702), 1698-1703. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106171

Squyres, SW, Arvidson, RE, Bell, JF, Brückner, J, Cabrol, NA, Calvin, W, Carr, MH, Christensen, PR, Clark, BC, Crumpler, L, Des Marais, DJ, D'Uston, C, Economou, T, Farmer, J, Farrand, W, Folkner, W, Golombek, M, Gorevan, S, Grant, JA, Greeley, R, Grotzinger, J, Haskin, L, Herkenhoff, KE, Hviid, S, Johnson, J, Klingelhöfer, G, Knoll, AH, Landis, G, Lemmon, M, Li, R, Madsen, MB, Malin, MC, McLennan, SM, McSween, HY, Ming, DW, Moersch, J, Morris, RV, Parker, T, Rice, JW, Richter, L, Rieder, R, Sims, M, Smith, M, Smith, P, Soderblom, LA, Sullivan, R, Wänke, H, Wdowiak, T, Wolff, M & Yen, A 2004, 'The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars', Science, vol. 306, no. 5702, pp. 1698-1703. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106171

@article{a507b158b40e49bf8114cae5ca99cf92,

title = "The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars",

abstract = "The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated the landing site in Eagle crater and the nearby plains within Meridiani Planum. The soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand and a surface lag of hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, and other granules. Wind ripples are common. Underlying the thin soil layer, and exposed within small impact craters and troughs, are flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks are finely laminated, are rich in sulfur, and contain abundant sulfate salts. Small-scale cross-lamination in some locations provides evidence for deposition in flowing liquid water. We interpret the rocks to be a mixture of chemical and siliciclastic sediments formed by episodic inundation by shallow surface water, followed by evaporation, exposure, and desiccation. Hematite-rich spherules are embedded in the rock and eroding from them. We interpret these spherules to be concretions formed by postdepositional diagenesis, again involving liquid water.",

author = "Squyres, {S. W.} and Arvidson, {R. E.} and Bell, {J. F.} and J. Br{\"u}ckner and Cabrol, {N. A.} and W. Calvin and Carr, {M. H.} and Christensen, {P. R.} and Clark, {B. C.} and L. Crumpler and {Des Marais}, {D. J.} and C. D'Uston and T. Economou and J. Farmer and W. Farrand and W. Folkner and M. Golombek and S. Gorevan and Grant, {J. A.} and R. Greeley and J. Grotzinger and L. Haskin and Herkenhoff, {K. E.} and S. Hviid and J. Johnson and G. Klingelh{\"o}fer and Knoll, {A. H.} and G. Landis and M. Lemmon and R. Li and Madsen, {M. B.} and Malin, {M. C.} and McLennan, {S. M.} and McSween, {H. Y.} and Ming, {D. W.} and J. Moersch and Morris, {R. V.} and T. Parker and Rice, {J. W.} and L. Richter and R. Rieder and M. Sims and M. Smith and P. Smith and Soderblom, {L. A.} and R. Sullivan and H. W{\"a}nke and T. Wdowiak and M. Wolff and A. Yen",

year = "2004",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1106171",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

AU - Squyres, S. W.

AU - Arvidson, R. E.

AU - Bell, J. F.

AU - Brückner, J.

AU - Cabrol, N. A.

AU - Calvin, W.

AU - Carr, M. H.

AU - Christensen, P. R.

AU - Clark, B. C.

AU - Crumpler, L.

AU - Des Marais, D. J.

AU - D'Uston, C.

AU - Economou, T.

AU - Farmer, J.

AU - Farrand, W.

AU - Folkner, W.

AU - Golombek, M.

AU - Gorevan, S.

AU - Grant, J. A.

AU - Greeley, R.

AU - Grotzinger, J.

AU - Haskin, L.

AU - Herkenhoff, K. E.

AU - Hviid, S.

AU - Johnson, J.

AU - Klingelhöfer, G.

AU - Knoll, A. H.

AU - Landis, G.

AU - Lemmon, M.

AU - Li, R.

AU - Madsen, M. B.

AU - Malin, M. C.

AU - McLennan, S. M.

AU - McSween, H. Y.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Moersch, J.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Parker, T.

AU - Rice, J. W.

AU - Richter, L.

AU - Rieder, R.

AU - Sims, M.

AU - Smith, M.

AU - Smith, P.

AU - Soderblom, L. A.

AU - Sullivan, R.

AU - Wänke, H.

AU - Wdowiak, T.

AU - Wolff, M.

AU - Yen, A.

PY - 2004/12/3

Y1 - 2004/12/3

N2 - The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated the landing site in Eagle crater and the nearby plains within Meridiani Planum. The soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand and a surface lag of hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, and other granules. Wind ripples are common. Underlying the thin soil layer, and exposed within small impact craters and troughs, are flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks are finely laminated, are rich in sulfur, and contain abundant sulfate salts. Small-scale cross-lamination in some locations provides evidence for deposition in flowing liquid water. We interpret the rocks to be a mixture of chemical and siliciclastic sediments formed by episodic inundation by shallow surface water, followed by evaporation, exposure, and desiccation. Hematite-rich spherules are embedded in the rock and eroding from them. We interpret these spherules to be concretions formed by postdepositional diagenesis, again involving liquid water.

AB - The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has investigated the landing site in Eagle crater and the nearby plains within Meridiani Planum. The soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand and a surface lag of hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, and other granules. Wind ripples are common. Underlying the thin soil layer, and exposed within small impact craters and troughs, are flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks are finely laminated, are rich in sulfur, and contain abundant sulfate salts. Small-scale cross-lamination in some locations provides evidence for deposition in flowing liquid water. We interpret the rocks to be a mixture of chemical and siliciclastic sediments formed by episodic inundation by shallow surface water, followed by evaporation, exposure, and desiccation. Hematite-rich spherules are embedded in the rock and eroding from them. We interpret these spherules to be concretions formed by postdepositional diagenesis, again involving liquid water.

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U2 - 10.1126/science.1106171

DO - 10.1126/science.1106171

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C2 - 15576602

AN - SCOPUS:10044247111

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 306

SP - 1698

EP - 1703

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5702

ER -

The opportunity Rover's athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

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