Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

Philip Christensen; M. B. Wyatt; T. D. Glotch; A. D. Rogers; S. Anwar; R. E. Arvidson; J. L. Bandfield; D. L. Blaney; C. Budney; W. M. Calvin; A. Fallacaro; R. L. Fergason; N. Gorelick; T. G. Graff; V. E. Hamilton; A. G. Hayes; J. R. Johnson; A. T. Knudson; H. Y. McSween; G. L. Mehall; L. K. Mehall; J. E. Moersch; R. V. Morris; M. D. Smith; S. W. Squyres; Steven Ruff; M. J. Wolff

doi:10.1126/science.1104909

Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

Philip Christensen, M. B. Wyatt, T. D. Glotch, A. D. Rogers, S. Anwar, R. E. Arvidson, J. L. Bandfield, D. L. Blaney, C. Budney, W. M. Calvin, A. Fallacaro, R. L. Fergason, N. Gorelick, T. G. Graff, V. E. Hamilton, A. G. Hayes, J. R. Johnson, A. T. Knudson, H. Y. McSween, G. L. MehallL. K. Mehall, J. E. Moersch, R. V. Morris, M. D. Smith, S. W. Squyres, Steven Ruff, M. J. Wolff

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Abstract

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1733-1739
Number of pages	7
Journal	Science
Volume	306
Issue number	5702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909
State	Published - Dec 3 2004

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Christensen, P., Wyatt, M. B., Glotch, T. D., Rogers, A. D., Anwar, S., Arvidson, R. E., Bandfield, J. L., Blaney, D. L., Budney, C., Calvin, W. M., Fallacaro, A., Fergason, R. L., Gorelick, N., Graff, T. G., Hamilton, V. E., Hayes, A. G., Johnson, J. R., Knudson, A. T., McSween, H. Y., ... Wolff, M. J. (2004). Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover. Science, 306(5702), 1733-1739. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909

Christensen, P, Wyatt, MB, Glotch, TD, Rogers, AD, Anwar, S, Arvidson, RE, Bandfield, JL, Blaney, DL, Budney, C, Calvin, WM, Fallacaro, A, Fergason, RL, Gorelick, N, Graff, TG, Hamilton, VE, Hayes, AG, Johnson, JR, Knudson, AT, McSween, HY, Mehall, GL, Mehall, LK, Moersch, JE, Morris, RV, Smith, MD, Squyres, SW, Ruff, S & Wolff, MJ 2004, 'Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover', Science, vol. 306, no. 5702, pp. 1733-1739. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104909

@article{9aa52088835a47289f90914d7df4a53f,

title = "Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover",

abstract = "The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.",

author = "Philip Christensen and Wyatt, {M. B.} and Glotch, {T. D.} and Rogers, {A. D.} and S. Anwar and Arvidson, {R. E.} and Bandfield, {J. L.} and Blaney, {D. L.} and C. Budney and Calvin, {W. M.} and A. Fallacaro and Fergason, {R. L.} and N. Gorelick and Graff, {T. G.} and Hamilton, {V. E.} and Hayes, {A. G.} and Johnson, {J. R.} and Knudson, {A. T.} and McSween, {H. Y.} and Mehall, {G. L.} and Mehall, {L. K.} and Moersch, {J. E.} and Morris, {R. V.} and Smith, {M. D.} and Squyres, {S. W.} and Steven Ruff and Wolff, {M. J.}",

year = "2004",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1104909",

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T1 - Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

AU - Christensen, Philip

AU - Wyatt, M. B.

AU - Glotch, T. D.

AU - Rogers, A. D.

AU - Anwar, S.

AU - Arvidson, R. E.

AU - Bandfield, J. L.

AU - Blaney, D. L.

AU - Budney, C.

AU - Calvin, W. M.

AU - Fallacaro, A.

AU - Fergason, R. L.

AU - Gorelick, N.

AU - Graff, T. G.

AU - Hamilton, V. E.

AU - Hayes, A. G.

AU - Johnson, J. R.

AU - Knudson, A. T.

AU - McSween, H. Y.

AU - Mehall, G. L.

AU - Mehall, L. K.

AU - Moersch, J. E.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Smith, M. D.

AU - Squyres, S. W.

AU - Ruff, Steven

AU - Wolff, M. J.

PY - 2004/12/3

Y1 - 2004/12/3

N2 - The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

AB - The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (∼20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

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DO - 10.1126/science.1104909

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EP - 1739

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5702

ER -

Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

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