Mars Exploration Rover Geologic traverse by the Spirit rover in the Plains of Gusev Crater, Mars

Crumpler, L. S.; Squyres, S. W.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bell, J. F.; Blaney, D. L.; Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Christensen, P. R.; DesMarais, David J.; Farmer, Jack D.; Fergason, Robin L.; Golombek, M. P.; Grant, F. D.; Greeley, R.; Hahn, B. C.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Hurowitz, J. A.; Knudson, A. T.; Landis, Geoffrey A.; Li, Rongxing; Maki, J. N.; McSween, H. Y.; Ming, D. W.; Moersch, J. E.; Payne, Meredith C.; Rice, James R.; Richter, Lutz; Ruff, Steven W.; Sims, Michael H.; Thompson, S. D.; Tosca, Nicholas J.; Wang, Alian; Whelley, P. L.; Wright, S. P.; Wyatt, M. B.

doi:10.1130/g21673.1

Cited by 34 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Using our software and MER Spirit data, we examined cracks on 1,573 rocks in total from 59 different sites along the Spirit traverse (Fig. 3), which comprises a range of volcanic rock types and geomorphic surfaces 61 . For all data collected, we examined only larger rocks (410 and 420 cm) within a similar field of view within the image (that is, far distant rocks visible in images were avoided) to ensure good visibility of as many cracks as possible on rock surfaces.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cracks in Martian boulders exhibit preferred orientations that point to solar-induced thermal stress

et al. 2015

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The origins of fractures in Martian boulders are unknown. Here, using Mars Exploration Rover 3D data products, we obtain orientation measurements for 1,857 cracks visible in 1,573 rocks along the Spirit traverse and find that Mars rock cracks are oriented in statistically preferred directions similar to those compiled herein for Earth rock cracks found in mid-latitude deserts. We suggest that Martian directional cracking occurs due to the preferential propagation of microfractures favourably oriented with respect to repeating geometries of diurnal peaks in sun-induced thermal stresses. A numerical model modified here with Mars parameters supports this hypothesis both with respect to the overall magnitude of stresses as well as to the times of day at which the stresses peak. These data provide the first direct field and numerical evidence that insolation-related thermal stress potentially plays a principle role in cracking rocks on portions of the Martian surface.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cracks in Martian boulders exhibit preferred orientations that point to solar-induced thermal stress

et al. 2015

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“…The Spirit Rover (Crumpler et al, 2005;Haskin et al, 2005) was deployed after landing in Gusev crater. From its landing site on the basaltic crater floor covered mostly by very small loose rocks and scattered wind ripples, the Rover drove across to the Columbia Hills, composed of bedrock predating the crater fill.…”

Section: Surface Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soil-like features have been observed at all landing sites to date, including resistant layers (Viking 1 and Viking 2, Mutch et al, 1976aMutch et al, , 1976b, highly variable mechanical properties of fine-grained surface materials from unconsolidated to high compressive to strong resistant (Pathfinder, Ward et al, 1999), enrichment in salts related to moisture (Opportunity, Soderblom et al, 2004) including those of sulfur, chlorine and bromine (Spirit, Haskin et al, 2005;Crumpler et al, 2005), carbonate deposition (Phoenix, Boynton et al, 2009) and ice segregations (Phoenix, Smith et al, 2009). Further studies of soil profiles and processes on Mars await future surface missions able to trench or core deeper into the soil and perform detailed analyses at various depths.…”

Section: Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extraterrestrial Arid Surface Processes

Clarke

2011

Arid Zone Geomorphology

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“…A number of detailed studies of the geology and geomorphology of rocks and rocky materials the Gusev cratered plains and the Columbia Hills have been published (e.g., Grant et al, 2004;Squyres et al, 2004aCrumpler et al, 2005;Arvidson et al, 2006a;Golombek et al, 2006). While the details of the geology of the landing site presented in those papers are beyond the scope of this chapter, several kinds of morphologic features and properties have been observed during Spirit's traverse that can help to provide constraints on the composition and physical properties of Gusev crater rocky materials (Figure 13.2).…”

Section: Geomorphologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Exploration Rover Pancam multispectral imaging of rocks, soils, and dust at Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum

Bell

Calvin²,

Farrand³

et al. 2008

The Martian Surface

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Multispectral imaging from the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) instruments on the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity has provided important new insights about the geology and geologic history of the rover landing sites and traverse locations in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum. Pancam observations from near-UV to near-IR wavelengths provide limited compositional and mineralogic constraints on the presence abundance, and physical properties of ferric-and ferrous-iron bearing minerals in rocks, soils, and dust at both sites. High resolution and stereo morphologic observations have also helped to infer some aspects of the composition of these materials at both sites. Perhaps most importantly, Pancam observations were often efficiently and effectively used to discover and select the relatively small number of places where in situ measurements were performed by the rover instruments, thus supporting and enabling the much more quantitative mineralogic discoveries made using elemental chemistry and mineralogy data. This chapter summarizes the major compositionally-and mineralogicallyrelevant results at Gusev and Meridiani derived from Pancam observations. Classes of materials encountered in Gusev crater include outcrop rocks, float rocks, cobbles, clasts, soils, dust, rock grindings, rock coatings, windblown drift deposits, and exhumed whitish/yellowish salty soils. Materials studied in Meridiani Planum include sedimentary outcrop rocks, rock rinds, fracture fills, hematite spherules, cobbles, rock fragments, meteorites, soils, and windblown drift deposits. This chapter also previews the results of a number of coordinated observations between Pancam and other rover-based and Mars-orbital instruments that were designed to provide complementary new information and constraints on the mineralogy and physical properties of martian surface materials. 13

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Mars Exploration Rover Geologic traverse by the Spirit rover in the Plains of Gusev Crater, Mars

Cited by 34 publications

References 18 publications

Cracks in Martian boulders exhibit preferred orientations that point to solar-induced thermal stress

Cracks in Martian boulders exhibit preferred orientations that point to solar-induced thermal stress

Extraterrestrial Arid Surface Processes

Mars Exploration Rover Pancam multispectral imaging of rocks, soils, and dust at Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum

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