Chemistry, mineralogy, and grain properties at Namib and High dunes, Bagnold dune field, Gale crater, Mars: A synthesis of Curiosity rover observations

Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets
Bethany L EhlmannA S Yen

Abstract

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover performed coordinated measurements to examine the textures and compositions of aeolian sands in the active Bagnold dune field. The Bagnold sands are rounded to subrounded, very fine to medium sized (~45-500 μm) with ≥6 distinct grain colors. In contrast to sands examined by Curiosity in a dust-covered, inactive bedform called Rocknest and soils at other landing sites, Bagnold sands are darker, less red, better sorted, have fewer silt-sized or smaller grains, and show no evidence for cohesion. Nevertheless, Bagnold mineralogy and Rocknest mineralogy are similar with plagioclase, olivine, and pyroxenes in similar proportions comprising >90% of crystalline phases, along with a substantial amorphous component (35% ± 15%). Yet Bagnold and Rocknest bulk chemistry differ. Bagnold sands are Si enriched relative to other soils at Gale crater, and H2O, S, and Cl are lower relative to all previously measured Martian soils and most Gale crater rocks. Mg, Ni, Fe, and Mn are enriched in the coarse-sieved fraction of Bagnold sands, corroborated by visible/near-infrared spectra that suggest enrichment of olivine. Collectively, patterns in major element chemistry and volatile release data indicate two...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 3, 2018·Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets·R C EwingW W Fischer
Mar 23, 2018·Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets·Matthew Chojnacki, Lori K Fenton
Jul 19, 2019·Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy·Marco VenerandaFernando Rull

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
neutron spectroscopy
X‐ray
PCA

Software Mentioned

ChemCam
MER
CheMin
SAM
MAHLI
APXS
Mastcam
DAN
Stimson

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