Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars

R. E. Arvidson; S. W. Squyres; James Bell; J. G. Catalano; B. C. Clark; L. S. Crumpler; P. A. De Souza; A. G. Fairén; W. H. Farrand; V. K. Fox; R. Gellert; A. Ghosh; M. P. Golombek; J. P. Grotzinger; E. A. Guinness; K. E. Herkenhoff; B. L. Jolliff; A. H. Knoll; R. Li; S. M. McLennan; D. W. Ming; D. W. Mittlefehldt; J. M. Moore; R. V. Morris; S. L. Murchie; T. J. Parker; G. Paulsen; J. W. Rice; Steven Ruff; M. D. Smith; M. J. Wolff

doi:10.1126/science.1248097

Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars

R. E. Arvidson, S. W. Squyres, James Bell, J. G. Catalano, B. C. Clark, L. S. Crumpler, P. A. De Souza, A. G. Fairén, W. H. Farrand, V. K. Fox, R. Gellert, A. Ghosh, M. P. Golombek, J. P. Grotzinger, E. A. Guinness, K. E. Herkenhoff, B. L. Jolliff, A. H. Knoll, R. Li, S. M. McLennanD. W. Ming, D. W. Mittlefehldt, J. M. Moore, R. V. Morris, S. L. Murchie, T. J. Parker, G. Paulsen, J. W. Rice, Steven Ruff, M. D. Smith, M. J. Wolff

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

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183 Scopus citations

Abstract

Opportunity has investigated in detail rocks on the rim of the Noachian age Endeavour crater, where orbital spectral reflectance signatures indicate the presence of Fe⁺³-rich smectites. The signatures are associated with fine-grained, layered rocks containing spherules of diagenetic or impact origin. The layered rocks are overlain by breccias, and both units are cut by calcium sulfate veins precipitated from fluids that circulated after the Endeavour impact. Compositional data for fractures in the layered rocks suggest formation of Al-rich smectites by aqueous leaching. Evidence is thus preserved for water-rock interactions before and after the impact, with aqueous environments of slightly acidic to circum-neutral pH that would have been more favorable for prebiotic chemistry and microorganisms than those recorded by younger sulfate-rich rocks at Meridiani Planum.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	1248097
Journal	Science
Volume	343
Issue number	6169
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1248097
State	Published - 2014

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Arvidson, R. E., Squyres, S. W., Bell, J., Catalano, J. G., Clark, B. C., Crumpler, L. S., De Souza, P. A., Fairén, A. G., Farrand, W. H., Fox, V. K., Gellert, R., Ghosh, A., Golombek, M. P., Grotzinger, J. P., Guinness, E. A., Herkenhoff, K. E., Jolliff, B. L., Knoll, A. H., Li, R., ... Wolff, M. J. (2014). Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars. Science, 343(6169), Article 1248097. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1248097

Arvidson, RE, Squyres, SW, Bell, J, Catalano, JG, Clark, BC, Crumpler, LS, De Souza, PA, Fairén, AG, Farrand, WH, Fox, VK, Gellert, R, Ghosh, A, Golombek, MP, Grotzinger, JP, Guinness, EA, Herkenhoff, KE, Jolliff, BL, Knoll, AH, Li, R, McLennan, SM, Ming, DW, Mittlefehldt, DW, Moore, JM, Morris, RV, Murchie, SL, Parker, TJ, Paulsen, G, Rice, JW, Ruff, S, Smith, MD & Wolff, MJ 2014, 'Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169, 1248097. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1248097

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title = "Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars",

abstract = "Opportunity has investigated in detail rocks on the rim of the Noachian age Endeavour crater, where orbital spectral reflectance signatures indicate the presence of Fe+3-rich smectites. The signatures are associated with fine-grained, layered rocks containing spherules of diagenetic or impact origin. The layered rocks are overlain by breccias, and both units are cut by calcium sulfate veins precipitated from fluids that circulated after the Endeavour impact. Compositional data for fractures in the layered rocks suggest formation of Al-rich smectites by aqueous leaching. Evidence is thus preserved for water-rock interactions before and after the impact, with aqueous environments of slightly acidic to circum-neutral pH that would have been more favorable for prebiotic chemistry and microorganisms than those recorded by younger sulfate-rich rocks at Meridiani Planum.",

author = "Arvidson, {R. E.} and Squyres, {S. W.} and James Bell and Catalano, {J. G.} and Clark, {B. C.} and Crumpler, {L. S.} and {De Souza}, {P. A.} and Fair{\'e}n, {A. G.} and Farrand, {W. H.} and Fox, {V. K.} and R. Gellert and A. Ghosh and Golombek, {M. P.} and Grotzinger, {J. P.} and Guinness, {E. A.} and Herkenhoff, {K. E.} and Jolliff, {B. L.} and Knoll, {A. H.} and R. Li and McLennan, {S. M.} and Ming, {D. W.} and Mittlefehldt, {D. W.} and Moore, {J. M.} and Morris, {R. V.} and Murchie, {S. L.} and Parker, {T. J.} and G. Paulsen and Rice, {J. W.} and Steven Ruff and Smith, {M. D.} and Wolff, {M. J.}",

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AU - Arvidson, R. E.

AU - Squyres, S. W.

AU - Bell, James

AU - Catalano, J. G.

AU - Clark, B. C.

AU - Crumpler, L. S.

AU - De Souza, P. A.

AU - Fairén, A. G.

AU - Farrand, W. H.

AU - Fox, V. K.

AU - Gellert, R.

AU - Ghosh, A.

AU - Golombek, M. P.

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

AU - Guinness, E. A.

AU - Herkenhoff, K. E.

AU - Jolliff, B. L.

AU - Knoll, A. H.

AU - Li, R.

AU - McLennan, S. M.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Mittlefehldt, D. W.

AU - Moore, J. M.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Murchie, S. L.

AU - Parker, T. J.

AU - Paulsen, G.

AU - Rice, J. W.

AU - Ruff, Steven

AU - Smith, M. D.

AU - Wolff, M. J.

PY - 2014

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AB - Opportunity has investigated in detail rocks on the rim of the Noachian age Endeavour crater, where orbital spectral reflectance signatures indicate the presence of Fe+3-rich smectites. The signatures are associated with fine-grained, layered rocks containing spherules of diagenetic or impact origin. The layered rocks are overlain by breccias, and both units are cut by calcium sulfate veins precipitated from fluids that circulated after the Endeavour impact. Compositional data for fractures in the layered rocks suggest formation of Al-rich smectites by aqueous leaching. Evidence is thus preserved for water-rock interactions before and after the impact, with aqueous environments of slightly acidic to circum-neutral pH that would have been more favorable for prebiotic chemistry and microorganisms than those recorded by younger sulfate-rich rocks at Meridiani Planum.

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Ancient aqueous environments at endeavour crater, mars

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