| 1. |
- Conrad, P.G., et al.
(författare)
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Environmental Dynamics and the Habitability Potential at Gale Crater, Mars
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The assessment of environmental habitability potential involves measurement of the chemical and physical attributes of the system as well as their dynamic interplay. The environmental dynamics describe the availability of both energy sources and raw materials for meeting the requirements of organisms and for altering the environment. Energetic exchange can also determine the preservation potential for organic materials in the rock record. During its first year at Gale Crater, the Mars Science Laboratory payload has directly measured the chemistry and physical attributes, e.g., temperature, humidity, radiation, pressure, etc. of the martian atmosphere. Curiosity has also acquired chemical and mineralogical data, both from a wind drift deposit of fines and from two examples of a sedimentary rock formation in a region of Gale Crater called Yellowknife Bay, some 445 meters to the east of Bradbury Landing, where Curiosity initially touched down. These data enabled inferences to be made regarding depositional environment and past habitability potential at Gale Crater. The rock chemistry data reveal signs of aqueous interaction i.e., H2O, OH and H2 and sufficient elemental basis (C, H, O, S and possibly N) for plausible nutrient supply, should Mars have ever had autotrophic prokaryotes to exploit it, and a range of redox conditions tolerable to Earth microbes is indicated by the presence of clay minerals. Curiosity’s observations of the chemical, physical and geologic features of Yellowknife Bay point to a formerly habitable environment.
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| 2. |
- Farley, K.A., et al.
(författare)
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In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the martian surface
- 2014
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 343:6169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced 3He, 21Ne, and 36Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.
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| 3. |
- Grotzinger, J.P., et al.
(författare)
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A habitable fluvio-lacustrine environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars
- 2014
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 343:6169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Curiosity rover discovered fine-grained sedimentary rocks, which are inferred to represent an ancient lake and preserve evidence of an environment that would have been suited to support a martian biosphere founded on chemolithoautotrophy. This aqueous environment was characterized by neutral pH, low salinity, and variable redox states of both iron and sulfur species. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus were measured directly as key biogenic elements; by inference, phosphorus is assumed to have been available. The environment probably had a minimum duration of hundreds to tens of thousands of years. These results highlight the biological viability of fluvial-lacustrine environments in the post-Noachian history of Mars.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Vaniman, D.T., et al.
(författare)
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Mineralogy of a mudstone at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars
- 2014
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 343:6169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sedimentary rocks at Yellowknife Bay (Gale crater) on Mars include mudstone sampled by the Curiosity rover. The samples, John Klein and Cumberland, contain detrital basaltic minerals, calcium sulfates, iron oxide or hydroxides, iron sulfides, amorphous material, and trioctahedral smectites. The John Klein smectite has basal spacing of ~10 angstroms, indicating little interlayer hydration. The Cumberland smectite has basal spacing at both ~13.2 and ~10 angstroms. The larger spacing suggests a partially chloritized interlayer or interlayer magnesium or calcium facilitating H2O retention. Basaltic minerals in the mudstone are similar to those in nearby eolian deposits. However, the mudstone has far less Fe-forsterite, possibly lost with formation of smectite plus magnetite. Late Noachian/Early Hesperian or younger age indicates that clay mineral formation on Mars extended beyond Noachian time.
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