Quasi-Periodic Bedding in the Sedimentary Rock Record of Mars

Widespread sedimentary rocks on Mars preserve evidence of surface conditions different from the modern cold and dry environment, although it is unknown how long conditions favorable to deposition persisted. We used 1-meter stereo topographic maps to demonstrate the presence of rhythmic bedding at se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2008-12, Vol.322 (5907), p.1532-1535
Main Authors: Lewis, Kevin W, Aharonson, Oded, Grotzinger, John P, Kirk, Randolph L, McEwen, Alfred S, Suer, Terry-Ann
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bedding
Cosmochemistry. Extraterrestrial geology
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Extraterrestrial Environment
Extraterrestrial geology
Geologic Sediments
Geology
Impact craters
Mars
Orbits
Outcrops
Petrology
Sediment deposition
Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentation & deposition
Sediments
Stereo
Stratigraphy
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Summary:Widespread sedimentary rocks on Mars preserve evidence of surface conditions different from the modern cold and dry environment, although it is unknown how long conditions favorable to deposition persisted. We used 1-meter stereo topographic maps to demonstrate the presence of rhythmic bedding at several outcrops in the Arabia Terra region. Repeating beds are ~10 meters thick, and one site contains hundreds of meters of strata bundled into larger units at a ~10:1 thickness ratio. This repetition likely points to cyclicity in environmental conditions, possibly as a result of astronomical forcing. If deposition were forced by orbital variation, the rocks may have been deposited over tens of millions of years.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1161870