Ice? Salt? Pressure? Sediment deformation structures as evidence of late-stage shallow groundwater in Gale crater, Mars

Simple item page
dc.citation.firstpage492en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber7en_US
dc.citation.journalTitleGeologyen_US
dc.citation.lastpage496en_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber52en_US
dc.contributor.authorBanham, Steven G.en_US
dc.contributor.authorRoberts, Amelie L.en_US
dc.contributor.authorGupta, Sanjeeven_US
dc.contributor.authorDavis, Joel M.en_US
dc.contributor.authorThompson, Lucy M.en_US
dc.contributor.authorRubin, David M.en_US
dc.contributor.authorPaar, Gerharden_US
dc.contributor.authorSiebach, Kirsten L.en_US
dc.contributor.authorDietrich, William E.en_US
dc.contributor.authorFraeman, Abigail A.en_US
dc.contributor.authorVasavada, Ashwin R.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-29T21:11:48Zen_US
dc.date.available2024-08-29T21:11:48Zen_US
dc.date.issued2024en_US
dc.description.abstractPersistence of near-surface water during the late evolution of Gale crater, Mars, would have been fundamental for maintaining a habitable environment. Sedimentation in aqueous conditions is evident during the early stages of crater infilling, where accumulation of lower Mount Sharp group strata is characterized by fluviolacustrine sedimentary rocks. The basal unit of the Siccar Point group—the Stimson formation—which unconformably overlies the Mount Sharp group and represents conditions postdating the exhumation of Aeolis Mons, is characterized by accumulation of aeolian strata under arid conditions. Water was largely absent near the surface during its deposition. At the Feòrachas outcrop, discovery of soft sediment deformation structures in aeolian Stimson strata challenges the notion that Gale crater was devoid of water during its later depositional phase. We identified deformed wind-rippled and vertically laminated sandstones, hosted within erosion-resistant ridges forming boxwork patterns. Broadly, these structures are diagnostic of water (as liquid or as ice) in the shallow subsurface. Comparison with Earth analogues suggests formation by subsurface fluid escape, freeze-thaw processes, or evaporite deformation. Regardless of the mechanism, these structures signify the presence of water at or near the surface much later than previously documented and may extend the habitability window in Gale crater.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBanham, S. G., Roberts, A. L., Gupta, S., Davis, J. M., Thompson, L. M., Rubin, D. M., Paar, G., Siebach, K. L., Dietrich, W. E., Fraeman, A. A., & Vasavada, A. R. (2024). Ice? Salt? Pressure? Sediment deformation structures as evidence of late-stage shallow groundwater in Gale crater, Mars. Geology, 52(7), 492–496. https://doi.org/10.1130/G51849.1en_US
dc.identifier.digitalg51849-1en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1130/G51849.1en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/117734en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherGeological Society of Americaen_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.titleIce? Salt? Pressure? Sediment deformation structures as evidence of late-stage shallow groundwater in Gale crater, Marsen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
g51849-1.pdf
Size:
2.79 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Collections
Faculty Publications
Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Publications