Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Evidence for a Noachian-aged ephemeral lake in Gusev crater, Mars

2014; Geological Society of America; Volume: 42; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1130/g35508.1

1943-2682

S. W. Ruff, P. B. Niles, F. Alfano, A. B. Clarke,

Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life

Research Article| April 01, 2014 Evidence for a Noachian-aged ephemeral lake in Gusev crater, Mars Steven W. Ruff; Steven W. Ruff 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul B. Niles; Paul B. Niles 2Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Fabrizio Alfano; Fabrizio Alfano 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Amanda B. Clarke Amanda B. Clarke 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Steven W. Ruff 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Paul B. Niles 2Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, USA Fabrizio Alfano 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Amanda B. Clarke 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 20 Sep 2013 Revision Received: 29 Jan 2014 Accepted: 29 Jan 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2014 Geological Society of America Geology (2014) 42 (4): 359–362. https://doi.org/10.1130/G35508.1 Article history Received: 20 Sep 2013 Revision Received: 29 Jan 2014 Accepted: 29 Jan 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Steven W. Ruff, Paul B. Niles, Fabrizio Alfano, Amanda B. Clarke; Evidence for a Noachian-aged ephemeral lake in Gusev crater, Mars. Geology 2014;; 42 (4): 359–362. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G35508.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Gusev crater has long been considered the site of a lake early in Martian history, but the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit found no apparent evidence of lake deposits along its 7 km traverse from 2004 to 2010. Although outcrops rich in Mg-Fe carbonate, dubbed Comanche, were discovered in the Noachian-aged Columbia Hills, they were inferred to result from volcanic hydrothermal activity. We now find evidence that the alteration of the Comanche outcrops is consistent with evaporative precipitation of low-temperature, near-surface solutions derived from limited water-rock interaction with rocks equivalent to nearby outcrops called Algonquin. Additional observations show that the Algonquin outcrops are remnants of volcanic tephra that covered the Columbia Hills and adjacent plains well before emplacement of basalt flows onto the floor of Gusev crater. Water-limited leaching of formerly widespread Algonquin-like tephra deposits by ephemeral waters, followed by transport and evaporative precipitation of the fluids into the Comanche outcrops, can explain their chemical, mineralogical, and textural characteristics. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.