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X-ray diffraction results from mars science laboratory: Mineralogy of rocknest at Gale crater
- Source :
- Science, 341(6153). American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science, Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2013, 341 (6153), pp.5. ⟨10.1126/science.1238932⟩
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity scooped samples of soil from the Rocknest aeolian bedform in Gale crater. Analysis of the soil with the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument revealed plagioclase (~An57), forsteritic olivine (~Fo62), augite, and pigeonite, with minor K-feldspar, magnetite, quartz, anhydrite, hematite, and ilmenite. The minor phases are present at, or near, detection limits. The soil also contains 27 ± 14 weight percent x-ray amorphous material, likely containing multiple Fe 3+ - and volatile-bearing phases, including possibly a substance resembling hisingerite. The crystalline component is similar to the normative mineralogy of certain basaltic rocks from Gusev crater on Mars and of martian basaltic meteorites. The amorphous component is similar to that found on Earth in places such as soils on the Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii.
- Subjects :
- Multidisciplinary
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Water on Mars
Curiosity rover
[SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences
Mineralogy
Mars
Mars Exploration Program
Martian soil
engineering.material
01 natural sciences
MSL Mars X-ray Diffraction Mineralogy Rocknest Gale Crater
Meteorite
Impact crater
13. Climate action
Rocknest
0103 physical sciences
Pigeonite
engineering
Composition of Mars
MSL
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
mineralogy of Rocknest at Gale crater
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00368075 and 10959203
- Volume :
- 341
- Issue :
- 6153
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Science
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f3ba9e7de1e063b787b48fa9ce1bb7c6
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238932⟩