The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity: Potassic Sedimentary Rocks, Gale Crater

Le Deit, L.; Mangold, N.; Forni, O.; Cousin, A.; Lasue, J.; Schröder, S.; Wiens, R. C.; Sumner, D.; Fabre, C.; Stack, K. M.; Anderson, R. B.; Blaney, D.; Clegg, S.; Dromart, G.; Fisk, M.; Gasnault, O.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Gupta, S.; Lanza, N.; Le Mouélic, S.; Maurice, S.; McLennan, S. M.; Meslin, P. -Y.; Nachon, M.; Newsom, H.; Payré, V.; Rapin, W.; Rice, M.; Sautter, V.; Treiman, A. H.

doi:10.1002/2015JE004987

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity: Potassic Sedimentary Rocks, Gale Crater

Journal Article · Fri May 13 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004987· OSTI ID:1417817

Le Deit, L. ^[1]; Mangold, N. ^[1]; Forni, O. ^[2]; Cousin, A. ^[2]; Lasue, J. ^[2]; Schröder, S. ^[3]; Wiens, R. C. ^[4]; Sumner, D. ^[5]; Fabre, C. ^[6]; Stack, K. M. ^[7]; Anderson, R. B. ^[8]; Blaney, D. ^[7]; Clegg, S. ^[4]; Dromart, G. ^[9]; Fisk, M. ^[10]; Gasnault, O. ^[2]; Grotzinger, J. P. ^[11]; Gupta, S. ^[12]; Lanza, N. ^[4]; Le Mouélic, S. ^[13] more »

Univ. of Nantes (CNRS-UMR) (France). Lab. of Planetology and Geodynamics
Inst. for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology, Toulouse (France)
Inst. for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology, Toulouse (France). Inst. of Optical Sensor Systems
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences
Univ. of Lorraine, Nancy (France). GeoRessources
California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Jet Propulsion Lab.
U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ (United States). Astrogeology Science Center
Lyon Lab. of Geology (France)
Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Geologic and Planetary Sciences
Imperial College London, London (United Kingdom)
Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, LPG-Nantes, UMR CNRS 6112, Université de Nantes, Nantes France
State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States). Dept. of Geosciences
Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inst. of Meteroritics
Western Washington Univ., Bellingham, WA (United States). Geology Dept.
Natural Museum of History, Paris (France). Lab. of Mineralogy & Cosmochemistry of the Museum (LMCM)
Lunar and Planetary Inst., Houston TX (United States)

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity encountered potassium-rich clastic sedimentary rocks at two sites in Gale Crater, the waypoints Cooperstown and Kimberley. These rocks include several distinct meters thick sedimentary outcrops ranging from fine sandstone to conglomerate, interpreted to record an ancient fluvial or fluvio-deltaic depositional system. Furthermore, from ChemCam Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) chemical analyses, this suite of sedimentary rocks has an overall mean K₂O abundance that is more than 5 times higher than that of the average Martian crust. The combined analysis of ChemCam data with stratigraphic and geographic locations then reveals that the mean K₂O abundance increases upward through the stratigraphic section. Chemical analyses across each unit can be represented as mixtures of several distinct chemical components, i.e., mineral phases, including K-bearing minerals, mafic silicates, Fe-oxides, and Fe-hydroxide/oxyhydroxides. Possible K-bearing minerals include alkali feldspar (including anorthoclase and sanidine) and K-bearing phyllosilicate such as illite. Mixtures of different source rocks, including a potassium-rich rock located on the rim and walls of Gale Crater, are the likely origin of observed chemical variations within each unit. Physical sorting may have also played a role in the enrichment in K in the Kimberley formation. The occurrence of these potassic sedimentary rocks provides additional evidence for the chemical diversity of the crust exposed at Gale Crater.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1417817

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-17-27707

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 121; ISSN 2169-9097

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (44)

Geochemical diversity in first rocks examined by the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater: Evidence for and significance of an alkali and volatile-rich igneous source: FIRST ROCKS EXAMINED BY THE CURIOSITY ROVER IN GALE CRATER Schmidt, M. E.; Campbell, J. L.; Gellert, R. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 119, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004481	journal	January 2014
Trace element geochemistry (Li, Ba, Sr, and Rb) using Curiosity 's ChemCam: Early results for Gale crater from Bradbury Landing Site to Rocknest : TRACE ELEMENT RESULTS FOR GALE CRATER Ollila, Ann M.; Newsom, Horton E.; Clark, Benton Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 119, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004517	journal	January 2014
The origin and evolution of the Peace Vallis fan system that drains to the Curiosity landing area, Gale Crater, Mars : Origin and evolution of Peace Vallis fan Palucis, Marisa C.; Dietrich, William E.; Hayes, Alexander G. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 119, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004583	journal	April 2014
Chemistry and texture of the rocks at Rocknest, Gale Crater: Evidence for sedimentary origin and diagenetic alteration: ROCKNEST CHEMISTRY AND TEXTURE Blaney, D. L.; Wiens, R. C.; Maurice, S. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 119, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004590	journal	September 2014
High manganese concentrations in rocks at Gale crater, Mars Lanza, Nina L.; Fischer, Woodward W.; Wiens, Roger C. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 41, Issue 16 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060329	journal	August 2014
First detection of fluorine on Mars: Implications for Gale Crater's geochemistry: First detection of fluorine on Mars Forni, Olivier; Gaft, Michael; Toplis, Michael J. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 42, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062742	journal	February 2015
Chemical variations in Yellowknife Bay formation sedimentary rocks analyzed by ChemCam on board the Curiosity rover on Mars Mangold, N.; Forni, O.; Dromart, G. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 120, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JE004681	journal	March 2015
Diagenesis and clay mineral formation at Gale Crater, Mars: Gale Crater Diagenesis Bridges, J. C.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Leveille, R. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 120, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JE004757	journal	January 2015
Mineralogy, provenance, and diagenesis of a potassic basaltic sandstone on Mars: CheMin X-ray diffraction of the Windjana sample (Kimberley area, Gale Crater): CHEMIN: WINDJANA Treiman, Allan H.; Bish, David L.; Vaniman, David T. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 121, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004932	journal	January 2016
Observation of > 5 wt % zinc at the Kimberley outcrop, Gale crater, Mars: ZN DETECTION AT KIMBERLEY WITH CHEMCAM Lasue, J.; Clegg, S. M.; Forni, O. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 121, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004946	journal	March 2016
Composition of conglomerates analyzed by the Curiosity rover: Implications for Gale Crater crust and sediment sources: CONGLOMERATES COMPOSITION AT GALE CRATER Mangold, N.; Thompson, L. M.; Forni, O. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 121, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004977	journal	March 2016
The ChemCam Instrument Suite on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover: Body Unit and Combined System Tests Wiens, Roger C.; Maurice, Sylvestre; Barraclough, Bruce Space Science Reviews, Vol. 170, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9902-4	journal	June 2012
The ChemCam Instrument Suite on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover: Science Objectives and Mast Unit Description Maurice, S.; Wiens, R. C.; Saccoccio, M. Space Science Reviews, Vol. 170, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9912-2	journal	July 2012
Volatiles on Earth and Mars: A comparison Dreibus, G.; Wa¨nke, H. Icarus, Vol. 71, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(87)90148-5	journal	August 1987
Segregation of olivine grains in volcanic sands in Iceland and implications for Mars Mangold, N.; Baratoux, D.; Arnalds, O. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Vol. 310, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.07.025	journal	October 2011
Grain size and hydrodynamic sorting controls on the composition of basaltic sediments: Implications for interpreting martian soils Fedo, Christopher M.; McGlynn, Ian O.; McSween, Harry Y. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Vol. 423 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2015.03.052	journal	August 2015
Quantitative geochemical mapping of martian elemental provinces Gasnault, Olivier; Jeffrey Taylor, G.; Karunatillake, Suniti Icarus, Vol. 207, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2009.11.010	journal	May 2010
The ChemCam Remote Micro-Imager at Gale crater: Review of the first year of operations on Mars Le Mouélic, S.; Gasnault, O.; Herkenhoff, K. E. Icarus, Vol. 249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.05.030	journal	March 2015
ChemCam results from the Shaler outcrop in Gale crater, Mars Anderson, Ryan; Bridges, J. C.; Williams, A. Icarus, Vol. 249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.07.025	journal	March 2015
Hydrogen detection with ChemCam at Gale crater Schröder, S.; Meslin, P. -Y.; Gasnault, O. Icarus, Vol. 249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.08.029	journal	March 2015
The central uplift of Ritchey crater, Mars Ding, Ning; Bray, Veronica J.; McEwen, Alfred S. Icarus, Vol. 252 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.11.001	journal	May 2015
Comparing orbiter and rover image-based mapping of an ancient sedimentary environment, Aeolis Palus, Gale crater, Mars Stack, K. M.; Edwards, C. S.; Grotzinger, J. P. Icarus, Vol. 280 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.02.024	journal	December 2016
Magmatic complexity on early Mars as seen through a combination of orbital, in-situ and meteorite data Sautter, Violaine; Toplis, Michael J.; Beck, Pierre Lithos, Vol. 254-255 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2016.02.023	journal	June 2016
Pre-flight calibration and initial data processing for the ChemCam laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory rover Wiens, R. C.; Maurice, S.; Lasue, J. Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, Vol. 82 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2013.02.003	journal	April 2013
Independent component analysis classification of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra Forni, Olivier; Maurice, Sylvestre; Gasnault, Olivier Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, Vol. 86 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2013.05.003	journal	August 2013
In situ calibration using univariate analyses based on the onboard ChemCam targets: first prediction of Martian rock and soil compositions Fabre, C.; Cousin, A.; Wiens, R. C. Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, Vol. 99 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2014.03.014	journal	September 2014
The relationship between major element concentration and grain size within sandstones from four turbidite sequences in Japan Kiminami, Kazuo; Fujii, Kumiko Sedimentary Geology, Vol. 195, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2006.08.002	journal	March 2007
Bulk composition and early differentiation of Mars Taylor, G. Jeffrey; Boynton, W.; Brückner, J. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 112, Issue E3 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JE002645	journal	December 2006
Concentration of H, Si, Cl, K, Fe, and Th in the low- and mid-latitude regions of Mars Boynton, W. V.; Taylor, G. J.; Evans, L. G. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 112, Issue E12 https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JE002887	journal	January 2007
Origin and age of the earliest Martian crust from meteorite NWA 7533 Humayun, M.; Nemchin, A.; Zanda, B. Nature, Vol. 503, Issue 7477 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12764	journal	November 2013
Prolonged magmatic activity on Mars inferred from the detection of felsic rocks Wray, James J.; Hansen, Sarah T.; Dufek, Josef Nature Geoscience, Vol. 6, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1994	journal	November 2013
Ancient plutonic processes on Mars inferred from the detection of possible anorthositic terrains Carter, J.; Poulet, F. Nature Geoscience, Vol. 6, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1995	journal	November 2013
In situ evidence for continental crust on early Mars Sautter, V.; Toplis, M. J.; Wiens, R. C. Nature Geoscience, Vol. 8, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2474	journal	July 2015
Alkalic parental magmas for chassignites? Nekvasil, Hanna; Filiberto, Justin; McCUBBIN, Francis M. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 42, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1945-5100.2007.tb01145.x	journal	June 2007
K ₂ O-rich trapped melt in olivine in the Nakhla meteorite: Implications for petrogenesis of nakhlites and evolution of the Martian mantle Goodrich, Cyrena Anne; Treiman, Allan H.; Filiberto, Justin Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 48, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.12226	journal	December 2013
Petrography and composition of Martian regolith breccia meteorite Northwest Africa 7475 Wittmann, Axel; Korotev, Randy L.; Jolliff, Bradley L. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 50, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.12425	journal	February 2015
Martian Fluvial Conglomerates at Gale Crater Williams, R. M. E.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Dietrich, W. E. Science, Vol. 340, Issue 6136 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1237317	journal	May 2013
Soil Diversity and Hydration as Observed by ChemCam at Gale Crater, Mars Meslin, P. - Y.; Gasnault, O.; Forni, O. Science, Vol. 341, Issue 6153 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238670	journal	September 2013
The Petrochemistry of Jake_M: A Martian Mugearite Stolper, E. M.; Baker, M. B.; Newcombe, M. E. Science, Vol. 341, Issue 6153 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1239463	journal	September 2013
A Habitable Fluvio-Lacustrine Environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars Grotzinger, J. P.; Sumner, D. Y.; Kah, L. C. Science, Vol. 343, Issue 6169 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1242777	journal	December 2013
Mineralogy of a Mudstone at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars Vaniman, D. T.; Bish, D. L.; Ming, D. W. Science, Vol. 343, Issue 6169 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1243480	journal	December 2013
Elemental Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rocks at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars McLennan, S. M.; Anderson, R. B.; Bell, J. F. Science, Vol. 343, Issue 6169 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1244734	journal	December 2013
Deposition, exhumation, and paleoclimate of an ancient lake deposit, Gale crater, Mars Grotzinger, J. P.; Gupta, S.; Malin, M. C. Science, Vol. 350, Issue 6257 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac7575	journal	October 2015
Authigenic K-feldspar in the Bromsgrove Sandstone Formation (Triassic) of ccntral England Ali, A. D.; Tuner, P. Journal of Sedimentary Research, Vol. 52, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1306/212F7F09-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D	journal	March 1982

Cited By (4)

Sorting out compositional trends in sedimentary rocks of the Bradbury group (Aeolis Palus), Gale crater, Mars: Bradbury Group Compositional Trends in Gale Crater Siebach, K. L.; Baker, M. B.; Grotzinger, J. P. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 122, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016je005195	journal	February 2017
Geologic overview of the Mars Science Laboratory rover mission at the Kimberley, Gale crater, Mars: Overview of MSL at the Kimberley Rice, Melissa S.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Treiman, Allan H. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 122, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016je005200	journal	January 2017
Chemistry, mineralogy, and grain properties at Namib and High dunes, Bagnold dune field, Gale crater, Mars: A synthesis of Curiosity rover observations: Bagnold Dune Sands Composition Ehlmann, B. L.; Edgett, K. S.; Sutter, B. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol. 122, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017je005267	journal	December 2017
AEGIS autonomous targeting for ChemCam on Mars Science Laboratory: Deployment and results of initial science team use Francis, R.; Estlin, T.; Doran, G. Science Robotics, Vol. 2, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aan4582	journal	June 2017

Similar Records

Composition of conglomerates analyzed by the Curiosity rover: Implications for Gale Crater crust and sediment sources

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 20:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets · OSTI ID:1417818

Alteration trends and geochemical source region characteristics preserved in the fluviolacustrine sedimentary record of Gale crater, Mars

Journal Article · Mon Nov 26 19:00:00 EST 2018 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · OSTI ID:1597375

Alkali trace elements in Gale crater, Mars, with ChemCam: Calibration update and geological implications

Journal Article · Sun Mar 19 20:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets · OSTI ID:1402650

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
Planetary Sciences

The potassic sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater, Mars, as seen by ChemCam on board Curiosity: Potassic Sedimentary Rocks, Gale Crater

Citation Formats

References (44)

Cited By (4)

Similar Records

Related Subjects