Burial and Exhumation of Sedimentary Rocks Revealed by the Base Stimson Erosional Unconformity, Gale Crater, Mars

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dc.citation.articleNumbere2022JE007293
dc.citation.issueNumber7
dc.citation.journalTitleJournal of Geophysical Research: Planets
dc.citation.volumeNumber127
dc.contributor.authorWatkins, Jessica A.
dc.contributor.authorGrotzinger, John P.
dc.contributor.authorStein, Nathan T.
dc.contributor.authorBanham, Steven G.
dc.contributor.authorGupta, Sanjeev
dc.contributor.authorRubin, David M.
dc.contributor.authorMorgan, Kathryn Stack
dc.contributor.authorEdgett, Kenneth S.
dc.contributor.authorFrydenvang, Jens
dc.contributor.authorSiebach, Kirsten L.
dc.contributor.authorLamb, Michael P.
dc.contributor.authorSumner, Dawn Y.
dc.contributor.authorLewis, Kevin W.
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-09T17:09:27Z
dc.date.available2022-08-09T17:09:27Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractSedimentary rocks record the ancient climate of Mars through changes between subaqueous and eolian depositional environments, recognized by their stratal geometries and suites of sedimentary structures. Orbiter- and rover-image-based geologic mapping show a dynamic evolution of the 5-km-thick sedimentary sequence exposed along the flanks of Aeolis Mons (informally, Mt. Sharp) in Gale crater, Mars, by deposition of subaqueous strata followed by exhumation via eolian erosion and then deposition of overlying, onlapping strata of inferred eolian origin. This interpretation suggests that a significant unconformity should occur at the base of the onlapping strata, thus predicting lateral variations in elevation along the contact between the underlying Mt. Sharp group and overlying Stimson formation. Curiosity rover and high-resolution orbital image data quantify paleotopographic variability associated with the contact; ∼140 m of net elevation change and a slope closely aligned with the modern topography is expressed along the regional contact. These results support the interpretation of an erosional unconformity between these strata and that it was likely formed as a result of eolian erosion within the crater, indicative of a transition from wet to dry climate and providing insight into the stratigraphic context, geologic history, and habitability within Gale crater.
dc.identifier.citationWatkins, Jessica A., Grotzinger, John P., Stein, Nathan T., et al.. "Burial and Exhumation of Sedimentary Rocks Revealed by the Base Stimson Erosional Unconformity, Gale Crater, Mars." <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets,</i> 127, no. 7 (2022) Wiley: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007293.
dc.identifier.digital2022-Watkins
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007293
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/113081
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherWiley
dc.rightsThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.titleBurial and Exhumation of Sedimentary Rocks Revealed by the Base Stimson Erosional Unconformity, Gale Crater, Mars
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.dcmiText
dc.type.publicationpublisher version
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