Desiccation cracks provide evidence of lake drying on Mars, Sutton Island member, Murray formation, Gale Crater

H. Newsom; K. M. Stack; J. A. Berger; L. Thompson; K. L. Siebach; A. Cousin; S. Le Mouelic; M. Minitti; D. Y. Sumner; C. Fedo; C. H. House; S. Gupta; A. R. Vasavada; R. Gellert; R. C. Wiens; N. Stein; J. Frydenvang; J. P. Grotzinger; O. Forni; P. Y. Meslin; J. Schieber; N. Mangold; V Payre; E. Dehouck; B. Hallet

doi:10.1130/G40005.1

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Desiccation cracks provide evidence of lake drying on Mars, Sutton Island member, Murray formation, Gale Crater

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Desiccation cracks provide evidence of lake drying on Mars, Sutton Island member, Murray formation, Gale Crater

H. Newsom, K. M. Stack, J. A. Berger, L. Thompson, K. L. Siebach, A. Cousin, S. Le Mouelic, M. Minitti, D. Y. Sumner, C. Fedo, …

Geology (Boulder), Vol.46(6), pp.515-518

06/01/2018

DOI: 10.1130/G40005.1

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Abstract

Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover data are used to describe the morphology of desiccation cracks observed in ancient lacustrine strata at Gale crater, Mars, and to interpret their paleoenvironmental setting. The desiccation cracks indicate subaerial exposure of lacustrine facies in the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation. In association with ripple cross-stratification and possible eolian cross-bedding, these facies indicate a transition from longer-lived perennial lakes recorded by older strata to younger lakes characterized by intermittent exposure. The transition from perennial to episodically exposed lacustrine environments provides evidence for local to regional climate change that can help constrain Mars climate models.

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Title: Subtitle: Desiccation cracks provide evidence of lake drying on Mars, Sutton Island member, Murray formation, Gale Crater
Creators: H. Newsom - University of New Mexico
K. M. Stack - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
J. A. Berger - Western University
L. Thompson - University of New Brunswick
K. L. Siebach - Stony Brook University
A. Cousin - Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, UPS-CNRS-OMP, Toulouse, France
S. Le Mouelic - Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences
M. Minitti - Planetary Science Institute
D. Y. Sumner - University of California, Davis
C. Fedo - University of Tennessee at Knoxville
C. H. House - Pennsylvania State University
S. Gupta - Imperial College London
A. R. Vasavada - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
R. Gellert - University of Guelph
R. C. Wiens - Los Alamos National Laboratory
N. Stein - California Institute of Technology
J. Frydenvang - Natural History Museum
J. P. Grotzinger - California Institute of Technology
O. Forni - Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, UPS-CNRS-OMP, Toulouse, France
P. Y. Meslin - Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, UPS-CNRS-OMP, Toulouse, France
J. Schieber - United States Geological Survey
N. Mangold - Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences
V Payre - Univ Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
E. Dehouck - Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, UPS-CNRS-OMP, Toulouse, France
B. Hallet - University of Washington
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geology (Boulder), Vol.46(6), pp.515-518
DOI: 10.1130/G40005.1
ISSN: 0091-7613
eISSN: 1943-2682
Publisher: Geological Soc Amer, Inc
Number of pages: 4
Grant note: DGE-1144469 / National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Grant
Language: English
Date published: 06/01/2018
Academic Unit: Earth and Environmental Sciences
Record Identifier: 9984295027602771

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