Characteristics of pebble- and cobble-sized clasts along the Curiosity rover traverse from Bradbury Landing to Rocknest

We have assessed the characteristics of clasts along Curiosity's traverse to shed light on the processes important in the genesis, modification, and transportation of surface materials. Pebble‐ to cobble‐sized clasts at Bradbury Landing, and subsequently along Curiosity's traverse to Yello...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of geophysical research. Planets 2013-11, Vol.118 (11), p.2361-2380
Main Authors: Yingst, R. A., Kah, L. C., Palucis, M., Williams, R. M. E., Garvin, J., Bridges, J. C., Bridges, N., Deen, R. G., Farmer, J., Gasnault, O., Goetz, W., Hamilton, V. E., Hipkin, V., Jensen, J. K., King, P. L., Koefoed, A., Le Mouélic, S. P., Madsen, M. B, Mangold, N., Martinez-Frias, J., Maurice, S., McCartney, E. M., Newsom, H., Pariser, O., Sautter, V. H., Wiens, R. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Basalt
Cosmochemistry. Extraterrestrial geology
Craters
Curiosity (Mars rover)
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Extraterrestrial geology
fluvial processes
Fragments
Genesis
Geochemistry
Geomorphology
Landing
Mars
surface materials
Transport
Transport processes
transport properties
Transporting
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We have assessed the characteristics of clasts along Curiosity's traverse to shed light on the processes important in the genesis, modification, and transportation of surface materials. Pebble‐ to cobble‐sized clasts at Bradbury Landing, and subsequently along Curiosity's traverse to Yellowknife Bay, reflect a mixing of two end‐member transport mechanisms. The general clast population likely represents material deposited via impact processes, including meteorite fragments, ejecta from distant craters, and impactites consisting of shocked and shock‐melted materials from within Gale Crater, which resulted predominantly in larger, angular clasts. A subset of rounded pebble‐sized clasts has likely been modified by intermittent alluvial or fluvial processes. The morphology of this rounded clast population indicates that water was a more important transporting agent here than at other Mars sites that have been studied in situ. Finally, we identified populations of basalt clasts and porphyritic clasts of undetermined composition by their morphologic and textural characteristics; basalts are confirmed by geochemical data provided by ChemCam. Key Points We examined Curiosity clasts to assess modification and transport processes Pebble‐ to cobble‐sized clasts reflect a mix of two transport mechanisms Water was an important transporting agent at the Curiosity landing site
ISSN:2169-9097
2169-9100
DOI:10.1002/2013JE004435