Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater

R. M E Williams; J. P. Grotzinger; W. E. Dietrich; S. Gupta; D. Y. Sumner; R. C. Wiens; N. Mangold; M. C. Malin; K. S. Edgett; S. Maurice; O. Forni; O. Gasnault; A. Ollila; H. E. Newsom; G. Dromart; M. C. Palucis; R. A. Yingst; R. B. Anderson; K. E. Herkenhoff; S. Le Mouélic; W. Goetz; M. B. Madsen; A. Koefoed; J. K. Jensen; J. C. Bridges; S. P. Schwenzer; K. W. Lewis; K. M. Stack; D. Rubin; L. C. Kah; James Bell; Jack Farmer; R. Sullivan; T. Van Beek; D. L. Blaney; O. Pariser; R. G. Deen

doi:10.1126/science.1237317

Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater

R. M E Williams, J. P. Grotzinger, W. E. Dietrich, S. Gupta, D. Y. Sumner, R. C. Wiens, N. Mangold, M. C. Malin, K. S. Edgett, S. Maurice, O. Forni, O. Gasnault, A. Ollila, H. E. Newsom, G. Dromart, M. C. Palucis, R. A. Yingst, R. B. Anderson, K. E. Herkenhoff, S. Le MouélicW. Goetz, M. B. Madsen, A. Koefoed, J. K. Jensen, J. C. Bridges, S. P. Schwenzer, K. W. Lewis, K. M. Stack, D. Rubin, L. C. Kah, James Bell, Jack Farmer, R. Sullivan, T. Van Beek, D. L. Blaney, O. Pariser, R. G. Deen

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

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

323 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observations by the Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (Mastcam) in Gale crater reveal isolated outcrops of cemented pebbles (2 to 40 millimeters in diameter) and sand grains with textures typical of fluvial sedimentary conglomerates. Rounded pebbles in the conglomerates indicate substantial fluvial abrasion. ChemCam emission spectra at one outcrop show a predominantly feldspathic composition, consistent with minimal aqueous alteration of sediments. Sediment was mobilized in ancient water flows that likely exceeded the threshold conditions (depth 0.03 to 0.9 meter, average velocity 0.20 to 0.75 meter per second) required to transport the pebbles. Climate conditions at the time sediment was transported must have differed substantially from the cold, hyper-arid modern environment to permit aqueous flows across several kilometers.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1068-1072
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	340
Issue number	6136
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1237317
State	Published - May 31 2013

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Williams, R. M. E., Grotzinger, J. P., Dietrich, W. E., Gupta, S., Sumner, D. Y., Wiens, R. C., Mangold, N., Malin, M. C., Edgett, K. S., Maurice, S., Forni, O., Gasnault, O., Ollila, A., Newsom, H. E., Dromart, G., Palucis, M. C., Yingst, R. A., Anderson, R. B., Herkenhoff, K. E., ... Deen, R. G. (2013). Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater. Science, 340(6136), 1068-1072. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1237317

Williams, RME, Grotzinger, JP, Dietrich, WE, Gupta, S, Sumner, DY, Wiens, RC, Mangold, N, Malin, MC, Edgett, KS, Maurice, S, Forni, O, Gasnault, O, Ollila, A, Newsom, HE, Dromart, G, Palucis, MC, Yingst, RA, Anderson, RB, Herkenhoff, KE, Le Mouélic, S, Goetz, W, Madsen, MB, Koefoed, A, Jensen, JK, Bridges, JC, Schwenzer, SP, Lewis, KW, Stack, KM, Rubin, D, Kah, LC, Bell, J, Farmer, J, Sullivan, R, Van Beek, T, Blaney, DL, Pariser, O & Deen, RG 2013, 'Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater', Science, vol. 340, no. 6136, pp. 1068-1072. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1237317

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title = "Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater",

abstract = "Observations by the Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (Mastcam) in Gale crater reveal isolated outcrops of cemented pebbles (2 to 40 millimeters in diameter) and sand grains with textures typical of fluvial sedimentary conglomerates. Rounded pebbles in the conglomerates indicate substantial fluvial abrasion. ChemCam emission spectra at one outcrop show a predominantly feldspathic composition, consistent with minimal aqueous alteration of sediments. Sediment was mobilized in ancient water flows that likely exceeded the threshold conditions (depth 0.03 to 0.9 meter, average velocity 0.20 to 0.75 meter per second) required to transport the pebbles. Climate conditions at the time sediment was transported must have differed substantially from the cold, hyper-arid modern environment to permit aqueous flows across several kilometers.",

author = "Williams, {R. M E} and Grotzinger, {J. P.} and Dietrich, {W. E.} and S. Gupta and Sumner, {D. Y.} and Wiens, {R. C.} and N. Mangold and Malin, {M. C.} and Edgett, {K. S.} and S. Maurice and O. Forni and O. Gasnault and A. Ollila and Newsom, {H. E.} and G. Dromart and Palucis, {M. C.} and Yingst, {R. A.} and Anderson, {R. B.} and Herkenhoff, {K. E.} and {Le Mou{\'e}lic}, S. and W. Goetz and Madsen, {M. B.} and A. Koefoed and Jensen, {J. K.} and Bridges, {J. C.} and Schwenzer, {S. P.} and Lewis, {K. W.} and Stack, {K. M.} and D. Rubin and Kah, {L. C.} and James Bell and Jack Farmer and R. Sullivan and {Van Beek}, T. and Blaney, {D. L.} and O. Pariser and Deen, {R. G.}",

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T1 - Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater

AU - Williams, R. M E

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

AU - Dietrich, W. E.

AU - Gupta, S.

AU - Sumner, D. Y.

AU - Wiens, R. C.

AU - Mangold, N.

AU - Malin, M. C.

AU - Edgett, K. S.

AU - Maurice, S.

AU - Forni, O.

AU - Gasnault, O.

AU - Ollila, A.

AU - Newsom, H. E.

AU - Dromart, G.

AU - Palucis, M. C.

AU - Yingst, R. A.

AU - Anderson, R. B.

AU - Herkenhoff, K. E.

AU - Le Mouélic, S.

AU - Goetz, W.

AU - Madsen, M. B.

AU - Koefoed, A.

AU - Jensen, J. K.

AU - Bridges, J. C.

AU - Schwenzer, S. P.

AU - Lewis, K. W.

AU - Stack, K. M.

AU - Rubin, D.

AU - Kah, L. C.

AU - Bell, James

AU - Farmer, Jack

AU - Sullivan, R.

AU - Van Beek, T.

AU - Blaney, D. L.

AU - Pariser, O.

AU - Deen, R. G.

PY - 2013/5/31

Y1 - 2013/5/31

N2 - Observations by the Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (Mastcam) in Gale crater reveal isolated outcrops of cemented pebbles (2 to 40 millimeters in diameter) and sand grains with textures typical of fluvial sedimentary conglomerates. Rounded pebbles in the conglomerates indicate substantial fluvial abrasion. ChemCam emission spectra at one outcrop show a predominantly feldspathic composition, consistent with minimal aqueous alteration of sediments. Sediment was mobilized in ancient water flows that likely exceeded the threshold conditions (depth 0.03 to 0.9 meter, average velocity 0.20 to 0.75 meter per second) required to transport the pebbles. Climate conditions at the time sediment was transported must have differed substantially from the cold, hyper-arid modern environment to permit aqueous flows across several kilometers.

AB - Observations by the Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (Mastcam) in Gale crater reveal isolated outcrops of cemented pebbles (2 to 40 millimeters in diameter) and sand grains with textures typical of fluvial sedimentary conglomerates. Rounded pebbles in the conglomerates indicate substantial fluvial abrasion. ChemCam emission spectra at one outcrop show a predominantly feldspathic composition, consistent with minimal aqueous alteration of sediments. Sediment was mobilized in ancient water flows that likely exceeded the threshold conditions (depth 0.03 to 0.9 meter, average velocity 0.20 to 0.75 meter per second) required to transport the pebbles. Climate conditions at the time sediment was transported must have differed substantially from the cold, hyper-arid modern environment to permit aqueous flows across several kilometers.

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Martian fluvial conglomerates at gale crater

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