Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

Philip Christensen; M. B. Wyatt; T. D. Glotch; A. D. Rogers; S. Anwar; R. E. Arvidson; J. L. Bandfield; D. L. Blaney; C. Budney; W. M. Calvin; A. Fallacaro; R. L. Fergason; N. Gorelick; T. G. Graff; V. E. Hamilton; A. G. Hayes; J. R. Johnson; A. T. Knudson; H. Y. McSween; G. L. Mehall; L. K. Mehall; J. E. Moersch; R. V. Morris; M. D. Smith; S. W. Squyres; Steven Ruff; M. J. Wolff

doi:10.1126/science.1104909

Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

Philip Christensen, M. B. Wyatt, T. D. Glotch, A. D. Rogers, S. Anwar, R. E. Arvidson, J. L. Bandfield, D. L. Blaney, C. Budney, W. M. Calvin, A. Fallacaro, R. L. Fergason, N. Gorelick, T. G. Graff, V. E. Hamilton, A. G. Hayes, J. R. Johnson, A. T. Knudson, H. Y. McSween, G. L. MehallL. K. Mehall, J. E. Moersch, R. V. Morris, M. D. Smith, S. W. Squyres, Steven Ruff, M. J. Wolff

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

334 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1733-1739
Number of pages	7
Journal	Science
Volume	306
Issue number	5702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909
State	Published - Dec 3 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1104909

Cite this

Christensen, P., Wyatt, M. B., Glotch, T. D., Rogers, A. D., Anwar, S., Arvidson, R. E., Bandfield, J. L., Blaney, D. L., Budney, C., Calvin, W. M., Fallacaro, A., Fergason, R. L., Gorelick, N., Graff, T. G., Hamilton, V. E., Hayes, A. G., Johnson, J. R., Knudson, A. T., McSween, H. Y., ... Wolff, M. J. (2004). Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover. Science, 306(5702), 1733-1739. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909

Christensen, P, Wyatt, MB, Glotch, TD, Rogers, AD, Anwar, S, Arvidson, RE, Bandfield, JL, Blaney, DL, Budney, C, Calvin, WM, Fallacaro, A, Fergason, RL, Gorelick, N, Graff, TG, Hamilton, VE, Hayes, AG, Johnson, JR, Knudson, AT, McSween, HY, Mehall, GL, Mehall, LK, Moersch, JE, Morris, RV, Smith, MD, Squyres, SW, Ruff, S & Wolff, MJ 2004, 'Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover', Science, vol. 306, no. 5702, pp. 1733-1739. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909

@article{7ca081c371ca482789f332deb6254f45,

title = "Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover",

abstract = "The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.",

author = "Philip Christensen and Wyatt, {M. B.} and Glotch, {T. D.} and Rogers, {A. D.} and S. Anwar and Arvidson, {R. E.} and Bandfield, {J. L.} and Blaney, {D. L.} and C. Budney and Calvin, {W. M.} and A. Fallacaro and Fergason, {R. L.} and N. Gorelick and Graff, {T. G.} and Hamilton, {V. E.} and Hayes, {A. G.} and Johnson, {J. R.} and Knudson, {A. T.} and McSween, {H. Y.} and Mehall, {G. L.} and Mehall, {L. K.} and Moersch, {J. E.} and Morris, {R. V.} and Smith, {M. D.} and Squyres, {S. W.} and Steven Ruff and Wolff, {M. J.}",

year = "2004",

month = dec,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1126/science.1104909",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "306",

pages = "1733--1739",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5702",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

AU - Christensen, Philip

AU - Wyatt, M. B.

AU - Glotch, T. D.

AU - Rogers, A. D.

AU - Anwar, S.

AU - Arvidson, R. E.

AU - Bandfield, J. L.

AU - Blaney, D. L.

AU - Budney, C.

AU - Calvin, W. M.

AU - Fallacaro, A.

AU - Fergason, R. L.

AU - Gorelick, N.

AU - Graff, T. G.

AU - Hamilton, V. E.

AU - Hayes, A. G.

AU - Johnson, J. R.

AU - Knudson, A. T.

AU - McSween, H. Y.

AU - Mehall, G. L.

AU - Mehall, L. K.

AU - Moersch, J. E.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Smith, M. D.

AU - Squyres, S. W.

AU - Ruff, Steven

AU - Wolff, M. J.

PY - 2004/12/3

Y1 - 2004/12/3

N2 - The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

AB - The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=10044224480&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=10044224480&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1104909

DO - 10.1126/science.1104909

M3 - Article

C2 - 15576609

AN - SCOPUS:10044224480

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 306

SP - 1733

EP - 1739

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5702

ER -

Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this