Mars Exploration Rover Geologic traverse by the Spirit rover in the Plains of Gusev Crater, Mars
- L.S. Crumpler1,
- S.W. Squyres2,
- R.E. Arvidson3,
- J.F. Bell, III4,
- D. Blaney5,
- N.A. Cabrol6,
- P.R. Christensen7,
- D.J. DesMarais8,
- J.D. Farmer9,
- R. Fergason9,
- M.P. Golombek10,
- F.D. Grant11,
- J.A. Grant12,
- R. Greeley13,
- B. Hahn14,
- K.E. Herkenhoff15,
- J.A. Hurowitz16,
- A.T. Knudson17,
- G.A. Landis18,
- R. Li19,
- J. Maki20,
- H.Y. McSween21,
- D.W. Ming22,
- J.E. Moersch23,
- M.C. Payne24,
- J.W. Rice24,
- L. Richter25,
- S.W. Ruff26,
- M. Sims27,
- S.D. Thompson28,
- N. Tosca29,
- A. Wang30,
- P. Whelley31,
- S.P. Wright31 and
- M.B. Wyatt31
- 1New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104, USA
- 2Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
- 4Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- 5Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
- 6National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames/Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA
- 7Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 8National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) Ames/Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA
- 9 Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 10Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
- 11Department of Geological Sciences, AZ State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 12Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, USA
- 13Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 14Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- 15U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA
- 16Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- 17Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 18National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
- 19Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- 20Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
- 21Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
- 22National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, USA
- 23Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
- 24 Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 25Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institute of Space Simulation, Linder Hoehe, Cologne, Germany
- 26Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 27National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) Ames/Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA
- 28Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
- 29Department of Geosciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- 30Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
- 31 Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
Abstract
The Spirit rover completed a 2.5 km traverse across gently sloping plains on the floor of Gusev crater from its location on the outer rim of Bonneville crater to the lower slopes of the Columbia Hills, Mars. Using the Athena suite of instruments in a transect approach, a systematic series of overlapping panoramic mosaics, remote sensing observations, surface analyses, and trenching operations documented the lateral variations in landforms, geologic materials, and chemistry of the surface throughout the traverse, demonstrating the ability to apply the techniques of field geology by remote rover operations. Textures and shapes of rocks within the plains are consistent with derivation from impact excavation and mixing of the upper few meters of basaltic lavas. The contact between surrounding plains and crater ejecta is generally abrupt and marked by increases in clast abundance and decimeter-scale steps in relief. Basaltic materials of the plains overlie less indurated and more altered rock types at a time-stratigraphic contact between the plains and Columbia Hills that occurs over a distance of one to two meters. This implies that regional geologic contacts are well preserved and that Earth-like field geologic mapping will be possible on Mars despite eons of overturn by small impacts.
Footnotes
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- Accepted 19 June 2005.
- Received 29 March 2005.
- Revision received 1 June 2005.
- Geological Society of America
