The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray Diffractometer on the MSL Curiosity Rover: A Decade of Mineralogy from Gale Crater, Mars

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dc.citation.articleNumber568en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber6en_US
dc.citation.journalTitleMineralsen_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber14en_US
dc.contributor.authorBlake, Daviden_US
dc.contributor.authorTu, Valerieen_US
dc.contributor.authorBristow, Thomasen_US
dc.contributor.authorRampe, Elizabethen_US
dc.contributor.authorVaniman, Daviden_US
dc.contributor.authorChipera, Steveen_US
dc.contributor.authorSarrazin, Philippeen_US
dc.contributor.authorMorris, Richarden_US
dc.contributor.authorMorrison, Shaunnaen_US
dc.contributor.authorYen, Alberten_US
dc.contributor.authorDowns, Roberten_US
dc.contributor.authorHazen, Roberten_US
dc.contributor.authorTreiman, Allanen_US
dc.contributor.authorMing, Douglasen_US
dc.contributor.authorDowns, Gordonen_US
dc.contributor.authorAchilles, Cherieen_US
dc.contributor.authorCastle, Nicholasen_US
dc.contributor.authorPeretyazhko, Tanyaen_US
dc.contributor.authorDe Marais, Daviden_US
dc.contributor.authorCraig, Patriciaen_US
dc.contributor.authorLafuente, Barbaraen_US
dc.contributor.authorTutolo, Benjaminen_US
dc.contributor.authorHausrath, Elisabethen_US
dc.contributor.authorSimpson, Sarahen_US
dc.contributor.authorWalroth, Richarden_US
dc.contributor.authorThorpe, Michaelen_US
dc.contributor.authorMeusburger, Johannesen_US
dc.contributor.authorPandey, Aditien_US
dc.contributor.authorGailhanou, Marcen_US
dc.contributor.authorDera, Przemyslawen_US
dc.contributor.authorBerger, Jeffreyen_US
dc.contributor.authorThompson, Lucyen_US
dc.contributor.authorGellert, Ralfen_US
dc.contributor.authorMcAdam, Amyen_US
dc.contributor.authorO’Connell-Cooper, Catherineen_US
dc.contributor.authorSutter, Braden_US
dc.contributor.authorMorookian, John Michaelen_US
dc.contributor.authorFraeman, Abigailen_US
dc.contributor.authorGrotzinger, Johnen_US
dc.contributor.authorSiebach, Kirstenen_US
dc.contributor.authorMadsen, Sorenen_US
dc.contributor.authorVasavada, Ashwinen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-11-04T16:25:12Zen_US
dc.date.available2024-11-04T16:25:12Zen_US
dc.date.issued2024en_US
dc.description.abstractFor more than a decade, the CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, has been returning definitive and quantitative mineralogical and mineral–chemistry data from ~3.5-billion-year-old (Ga) sediments in Gale crater, Mars. To date, 40 drilled rock samples and three scooped soil samples have been analyzed during the rover’s 30+ km transit. These samples document the mineralogy of over 800 m of flat-lying fluvial, lacustrine, and aeolian sedimentary rocks that comprise the lower strata of the central mound of Gale crater (Aeolis Mons, informally known as Mt. Sharp) and the surrounding plains (Aeolis Palus, informally known as the Bradbury Rise). The principal mineralogy of the sedimentary rocks is of basaltic composition, with evidence of post-depositional diagenetic overprinting. The rocks in many cases preserve much of their primary mineralogy and sedimentary features, suggesting that they were never strongly heated or deformed. Using aeolian soil composition as a proxy for the composition of the deposited and lithified sediment, it appears that, in many cases, the diagenetic changes observed are principally isochemical. Exceptions to this trend include secondary nodules, calcium sulfate veining, and rare Si-rich alteration halos. A surprising and yet poorly understood observation is that nearly all of the ~3.5 Ga sedimentary rocks analyzed to date contain 15–70 wt.% of X-ray amorphous material. Overall, this >800 m section of sedimentary rock explored in lower Mt. Sharp documents a perennial shallow lake environment grading upward into alternating lacustrine/fluvial and aeolian environments, many of which would have been habitable to microbial life.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBlake, D., Tu, V., Bristow, T., Rampe, E., Vaniman, D., Chipera, S., Sarrazin, P., Morris, R., Morrison, S., Yen, A., Downs, R., Hazen, R., Treiman, A., Ming, D., Downs, G., Achilles, C., Castle, N., Peretyazhko, T., De Marais, D., … Vasavada, A. (2024). The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray Diffractometer on the MSL Curiosity Rover: A Decade of Mineralogy from Gale Crater, Mars. Minerals, 14(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14060568en_US
dc.identifier.digitalminerals-14-00568en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.3390/min14060568en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/117998en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMDPIen_US
dc.rightsExcept where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the terms of the license or beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_US
dc.titleThe Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray Diffractometer on the MSL Curiosity Rover: A Decade of Mineralogy from Gale Crater, Marsen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
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