The mawrth vallis region of mars: A potential landing site for the mars science laboratory (MSL) mission

Astrobiology

Volumn 10, Issue 7, 2010, Pages 687-703

  Michalski, Joseph R ^a,b   Bibring, Jean Pierre ^a   Poulet, François ^a   Loizeau, Damien ^a   Mangold, Nicolas ^c   Dobrea, Eldar Noe ^b   Bishop, Janice L ^d   Wray, James J ^e   McKeown, Nancy K ^f   Parente, Mario ^g   Hauber, Ernst ^h   Altieri, Francesca ⁱ   Carrozzo, F Giacomo ⁱ   Niles, Paul B ^j  

^a UNIVERSITÉ PARIS SUD   (France)

^b PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE   (United States)

^c UNIVERSITÉ DE NANTES   (France)

^d NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER   (United States)

^e Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics   (United States)

^f UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

^g Stanford University   (United States)

^h GERMAN AEROSPACE CENTER DLR   (Germany)

ⁱ INAF   (Italy)

^j NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER   (United States)

more..

Author keywords

Clays; Habitability; Infrared spectroscopy; Mars; Planetary science

Indexed keywords

SILICATE;

ARTICLE; ASTROBIOLOGY; ASTRONOMY; CHEMISTRY; COSMIC RADIATION; GEOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENA; GEOGRAPHY; GOVERNMENT; SEDIMENT; SOIL; SPACE FLIGHT; UNITED STATES;

COSMIC RADIATION; EVOLUTION, PLANETARY; EXOBIOLOGY; GEOGRAPHY; GEOLOGIC SEDIMENTS; GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES; MARS; SILICATES; SOIL; SPACE FLIGHT; SPACECRAFT; UNITED STATES; UNITED STATES NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION;

EID: 77958158671     PISSN: 15311074     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1089/ast.2010.0491     Document Type: Article

References (71)

1. Allwood, A.C., Grotzinger, J.P., Knoll, A.H., Burch, I.W., Anderson, M.S., Coleman, M.L., and Kanik, I. (2009) Controls on development and diversity of Early Archean stromatolites. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106:9548-9555.
2. Bibring, J.-P., Langevin, Y., Mustard, J.F., Poulet, F., Arvidson, R., Gendrin, A., Gondet, B., Mangold, N., Pinet, P., Forget, F., Berthé, M., Bibring, J.P., Gendrin, A., Gomez, C., Gondet, B., Jouglet, D., Poulet, F., Soufflot, A., Vincendon, M., Combes, M., Drossart, P., Encrenaz, T., Fouchet, T., Merchiorri, R., Belluci, G., Altieri, F., Formisano, V., Capaccioni, F., Cerroni, P., Coradini, A., Fonti, S., Korablev, O., Kottsov, V., Ignatiev, N., Moroz, V., Titov, D., Zasova, L., Loiseau, D., Mangold, N., Pinet, P., Douté, S., Schmitt, B., Sotin, C., Hauber, E., Hoffmann, H., Jaumann, R., Keller, U., Arvidson, R., Mustard, J.F., Duxbury, T., Forget, F., and Neukum, G. (2006) Global mineralogical and aqueous mars history derived from OMEGA/ Mars Express data. Science 312:400-404.
3. Bishop, J.L., Dobrea, E.Z., McKeown, N.K., Parente, M., Ehlmann, B.L., Michalski, J.R., Milliken, R.E., Poulet, F., Swayze, G.A., Mustard, J.F., Murchie, S.L., and Bibring, J.P. (2008) Phyllosilicate diversity and past aqueous activity revealed at Mawrth Vallis, Mars. Science 321:830-833.
4. Blake, D.F., Vaniman, D.T., Anderson, R., Bish, D.L., Chipera, S.J., Chemtob, S., Crisp, J., Des Marais, D., Downs, R., Farmer, J., Gailhanou, M., Ming, D.W., Morris, D., Stolper, E., Sarrazin, P., Treiman, A.H., and Yen, A. (2009) The CheMin mineralogical instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory mission [abstact 1484]. In 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
5. Brock, T.D. and Gustafson, J. (1976) Ferric iron reduction by sulfur- and iron-oxidizing bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 32:567-571.
6. Cady, S.L., Farmer, J.D., Grotzinger, J.P., Schopf, J.W., and Steele, A. (2003) Morphological biosignatures and the search for life on Mars. Astrobiology 3:351-368.
7. Carter, J., Poulet, F., Bibring, J.P., Murchie, S., Langevin, Y., Mustard, J., and Gondet, B. (2009) Phyllosilicates and other hydrated minerals on Mars: 1. Global distribution as seen by MEx OMEGA [abstract 2028]. In 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
8. Christensen, P., Bandfield, J., Hamilton, V., Ruff, S., Kieffer, H., Titus, T., Malin, M., Morris, R., Lane, M., Clark, R., Jakosky, B.M., Mellon, M.T., Pearl, J.C., Conrath, B.J., Smith, M.D., Clancy, R.T., Kuzmin, R.O., Roush, T., Mehall, G.L., Gorelick, N., Bender, K., Murray, K., Dason, S., Greene, E., Silverman, S., and Greenfield, M. (2001) Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer experiment: investigation description and surface science results. J. Geophys. Res. 106:23823-23871.
9. Des Marais, D.J. and Walter, M.R. (1999) ASTROBIOLOGY: exploring the origins, evolution, and distribution of life in the Universe. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 30:397-420.
10. Edgett, K.S., Ravine, M.A., Caplinger, M.A., Ghaemi, F.T., Schaffer, J.A., Malin, M.C., Baker, J.M., Dibiase, D.R., Laramee, J., Maki, J.N., Willson, R.G., Bell, J.F., III, Cameron, J.F., Dietrich, W.E., Edwards, L.J., Hallet, B., Herkenhoff, K.E., Heydari, E., Kah, L.C., Lemmon, M.T., Minitti, M.E., Olson, T.S., Parker, T.J., Rowland, S.K., Schieber, J., Sullivan, R.J., Sumner, D.Y., Thomas, P.C., and Yingst, R.A. (2009) The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) flight instrument [abstract 1197]. In 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
11. Ehlmann, B., Mustard, J., Fassett, C., Schon, S., Head, J., III, Des Marais, D., Grant, J., and Murchie, S. (2008) Clay minerals in delta deposits and organic preservation potential on Mars. Nat. Geosci. 1:355-358.
12. Farmer, J. and Des Marais, D. (1999) Exploring for a record of ancient martian life. J. Geophys. Res. 104:26977-26995.
13. Farrand, W., Glotch, T.D., Rice, J.W., Hurowitz, J., and Swayze, G. (2009) Discovery of jarosite within the Mawrth Vallis region of Mars: implications for the geologic history of the region. Icarus 204:478-488.
14. Feldman, W.C., Prettyman, T.H., Maurice, S., Plaut, J.J., Bish, D.L., Vaniman, D.T., Mellon, M.T., Metzger, A.E., Squyres, S.W., Karunatillake, S., Boynton, W.V., Elphic, R.C., Funsten, H.O., Lawrence, D.J., and Tokar, R.L. (2004) Global distribution of near-surface hydrogen on Mars. J. Geophys. Res. 109:1-13.
15. Ferris, J.P. (2006) Montmorillonite-catalysed formation of RNA oligomers: the possible role of catalysis in the origins of life. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci. 361:1777-1786.
16. Gellert, R., Cambell, J., King, P.L., Leshin, L., Lugmair, G., Spray, J., Squyres, S., and Yen, A. (2009) The Alpha-Particle-X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover mission. In 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
17. Glotch, T.D., Bandfield, J.L., Christensen, P.R., Calvin, W.M., McLennan, S.M., Clark, B.C., Rogers, A.D., and Squyres, S.W. (2006) Mineralogy of the light-toned outcrop at Meridiani Planum as seen by the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer and implications for its formation. J. Geophys. Res. 111:1-14.
18. Golombek, M., Grant, J., Vasavada, A.R., Grotzinger, J., Watkins, M., Kipp, D., Noe Dobrea, E.Z., Griffes, J.L., Parker, T., Kirk, R., Fergason, R., Beyer, R., Huertas, A., Milliken, R., and Sun, Y. (2010) Landing sites under consideration for Mars Science Laboratory [abstract 2407]. In 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
19. Grant, J.A., Irwin, R.P., III, Grotzinger, J.P., Milliken, R.E., Tornabene, L.L., McEwen, A.S., Weitz, C.M., Squyres, S.W., Glotch, T.D., and Thomson, B.J. (2008) HiRISE imaging of impact megabreccia and sub-meter aqueous strata in Holden Crater, Mars. Geology 36:195-198.
20. Greeley, R. and Spudis, P. (1981) Volcanism on Mars. Rev. Geophys. 19:13-41.
21. Grotzinger, J., Bell, J., Herkenhoff, K., Johnson, J., Knoll, A., McCartney, E., McLennan, S., Metz, J., Moore, J., Squyres, S., Sullivan, R., Ahronson, O., Arvidson, R., Joliff, B., Golombek, M., Lewis, K., Parker, T., and Soderblom, J. (2006) Sedimentary textures formed by aqueous processes, Erebus crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars. Geology 34:1085-1088.
22. Harder, H. (1988) Synthesis of iron-rich clays in environments with little or no oxygen. In Clay Minerals and the Origin of Life, edited by A.G. Cairns-Smith and H. Hartman, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 91-96.
23. Harrison, T.M., Blichert-Toft, J., Muller, W., Albarede, F., Holden, P., and Mojzsis, S.J. (2005) Heterogeneous Hadean hafnium: evidence of continental crust at 4.4 to 4.5 Ga. Science 310:1947-1950.
24. Hartmann, W. and Neukum, G. (2001) Cratering chronology and the evolution of Mars. Space Sci. Rev. 96:165-194.
25. Head, J.W., Mustard, J.F., Kreslavsky, M.A., Milliken, R.E., and Marchant, D.R. (2003) Recent ice ages on Mars. Nature 426:797-802.
26. Howard, A.D. and Moore, J. (2007) The light-toned sediments in and near lower Mawrth Vallis may be a drape deposit. In 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
27. Jouglet, D., Poulet, F., Milliken, R.E., Mustard, J.F., Bibring, J.-P., Langevin, Y., Gondet, B., and Gomez, C. (2007) Hydration state of the martian surface as seen by Mars Express OMEGA: 1. Analysis of the 3 mm hydration feature. J. Geophys. Res. 112:1-20.
28. Kasting, J.F. and Howard, M.T. (2006) Atmospheric composition and climate on the early Earth. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci. 361:1733-1742.
29. Loizeau, D., Mangold, N., Poulet, F., Bibring, J.-P., Gendrin, A., Ansan, V., Gomez, C., Gondet, B., Langevin, Y., Masson, P., and Neukum, G. (2007) Phyllosilicates in the Mawrth Vallis region of Mars. J. Geophys. Res. 112:1-20.
30. Loizeau, D., Mangold, N., Poulet, F., Ansan, V., Hauber, E., Bibring, J.P., Gondet, B., Langevin, Y., Masson, P., and Neukum, G. (2010) Stratigraphy in the Mawrth Vallis region through OMEGA, HRSC color imagery, and DTM. Icarus 205:396-418.
31. Lowenstam, H. (1981) Minerals formed by organisms. Science 211:1126-1131.
32. Mahaffy, P., Cabane, M., Conrad, P., Webster, C.R., and the SAM team. (2009) Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite for the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory [abstract 1088]. In 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
33. Malin, M. and Edgett, K. (2001) Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: interplanetary cruise through primary mission. J. Geophys. Res. 106:23429-23570.
34. Malin, M.C. and Edgett, K.S. (2000) Sedimentary rocks of early Mars. Science 290:1927-1937.
35. Malin, M.C., Caplinger, M.A., Edgett, K.S., Ghaemi, F.T., Ravine, M.A., Schaffner, J.A., Baker, J.M., Bardis, J.D., DiBiase, D.R., Maki, J.N., Willson, R.G., Bell, J.F., III, Dietrich, W.E., Edwards, L.J., Hallet, B., Herkenhoff, K.E., Heydari, E., Kah, L.C., Lemmon, M.T., Minitti, M.E., Olson, T.S., Parker, T.J., Rowland, S.K., Schieber, J., Sullivan, R.J., Sumner, D.Y., Thomas, P.C., and Yingst, R.A. (2010) The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast-mounted cameras (Mastcams) flight instruments [abstract 1123]. In 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
36. McKeown, N.K., Bishop, J.L., Dobrea, E.Z.N., Ehlmann, B.L., Parente, M., Mustard, J.F., Murchie, S.L., Swayze, G.A., Bibring, J.-P., and Silver, E.A. (2009) Characterization of phyllosilicates observed in the central Mawrth Vallis region, Mars, their potential formational processes, and implications for past climate. J. Geophys. Res. 114:1-20.
37. McSween, H.Y., Jr., Taylor, G.J., and Wyatt, M.B. (2009) Elemental composition of the martian crust. Science 324:736-739.
38. Mellon, M.T., Arvidson, R.E., Sizemore, H.G., Searls, M.L., Blaney, D.L., Cull, S., Hecht, M.H., Heet, T.L., Keller, H.U., Lemmon, M.T., Markiewicz, W.J., Ming, D.W., Morris, R.V., Pike, W.T., and Zent, A.P. (2009) Ground ice at the Phoenix landing site: stability state and origin. J. Geophys. Res. 114:1-15.
39. MEPAG. (2008) Mars science goals, objectives, investigations, and priorities: (2008 Active Version). Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG). Available online at http:// mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/reports/index.html.
40. Michalski, J. and Fergason, R. (2009) Composition and thermal inertia of the Mawrth Vallis region of Mars from TES and THEMIS data. Icarus 199:25-48.
41. Michalski, J.R. and Noe Dobrea, E.Z. (2007) Evidence for a sedimentary origin of clay minerals in the Mawrth Vallis region, Mars. Geology 35:951-954.
42. Michalski, J.R., Kraft, M.D., Sharp, T.G., Williams, L.B., and Christensen, P.R. (2006) Emission spectroscopy of clay minerals and evidence for poorly crystalline aluminosilicates on Mars from Thermal Emission Spectrometer data. J. Geophys. Res. 111:1-14.
43. Milliken, R.E., Grotzinger, J.P., and Thomson, B.J. (2010a) Paleoclimate of Mars as captured by the stratigraphic record in Gale Crater. Geophys. Res. Lett. 37:1-6.
44. Milliken, R., Bish, D.L., Bristow, T., and Mustard, J. (2010b) The case for mixed-layered clays on Mars. In 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
45. Milliken, R.E., Mustard, J.F., Poulet, F., Jouglet, D., Bibring, J.-P., Gondet, B., and Langevin, Y. (2007) Hydration state of the martian surface as seen by Mars Express OMEGA: 2. H2O content of the surface. J. Geophys. Res. 112:1-15.
46. Mojzsis, S., Harrison, T., and Pidgeon, R. (2001) Oxygen-isotope evidence from ancient zircons for liquid water at the Earth's surface 4,300 Myr ago. Nature 409:178-181.
47. Murchie, S.L., Mustard, J.F., Ehlmann, B.L., Milliken, R.E., Bishop, J.L., McKeown, N.K., Dobrea, E.Z.N., Seelos, F.P., Buczkowski, D.L., Wiseman, S.M., Arvidson, R.E., Wray, J.J., Swayze, G., Clark, R.N., Des Marais, D.J., McEwen, A.S., and Bibring, J.-P. (2009) A synthesis of martian aqueous mineralogy after 1 Mars year of observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. J. Geophys. Res. 114:1-30.
48. Mustard, J.F. and Cooper, C.D. (2005) Joint analysis of ISM and TES spectra: the utility of multiple wavelength regimes for martian surface studies. J. Geophys. Res. 110:1-13.
49. Nealson, K.H. (1997) SEDIMENT BACTERIA: Who's There, What Are They Doing, and What's New? Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 25:403-434.
50. Nikalje, M., Phukan, P., and Sudalai, A. (2000) Recent advances in clay-catalyzed organic transformations. The New Journal for Organic Synthesis 32:1-40.
51. Noe Dobrea, E.Z., Bishop, J.L., McKeown, N.K., Fu, R., Rossi, C.M., Michalski, J.R., Heinlein, C., Hanus, V., Poulet, F., Mustard, R.J.F, Murchie, S., McEwen, A.S., Swayze, G., Bibring, J.-P., Malaret, E., and Hash, C. (2010) Mineralogy and stratigraphy of phyllosilicate-bearing and dark mantling units in the greater Mawrth Vallis/west Arabia Terra area: constraints on geological origin. J. Geophys. Res. 115, doi:10.1029/ 2009JE003351.
52. Pinnavaia, T. (1983) Intercalated clay catalysts. Science 220:365.
53. Pinnavaia, T.J. and Mortland, M.M. (1986) Aspects of clay catalysis. In Clays Minerals and the Origin of Life, edited by A.G. Cairns-Smith and H. Hartman, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 131-135.
54. Poulet, F., Bibring, J.P., Mustard, J.F., Gendrin, A., Mangold, N., Langevin, Y., Arvidson, R., Gondet, B., and Gomez, C. (2005) Phyllosilicates on Mars and implications for early martian climate. Nature 438:623-627.
55. Poulet, F., Gomez, C., Bibring, J.-P., Langevin, Y., Gondet, B., Pinet, P., Belluci, G., and Mustard, J. (2007) Martian surface mineralogy from Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité on board the Mars Express spacecraft (OMEGA/MEx): Global mineralmaps. J. Geophys. Res. 112:1-15.
56. Poulet, F., Arvidson, R., Gomez, C., Morris, R., Bibring, J.P., Langevin, Y., Gondet, B., and Griffes, J.L. (2008a) Mineralogy of Terra Meridiani and western Arabia Terra from OMEGA/ MEx and implications for their formation. Icarus 195:106-130.
57. Poulet, F., Mangold, N., Loizeau, D., Bibring, J.-P., Langevin, Y., Michalski, J., and Gondet, B. (2008b) Abundance of minerals in the phyllosilicate-rich units on Mars. Astron. Astrophys. 487:L41-L44.
58. Rogers, A.D. and Bandfield, J. (2009) Mineralogical characterization of Mars Science Laboratory candidate landing sites from THEMIS and TES data. Icarus 203:437-453.
59. Schopf, J.W. (2006) Fossil evidence of Archaean life. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci. 361:869-885.
60. Solomon, S.C., Aharonson, O., Aurnou, J.M., Banerdt, W.B., Carr, M.H., Dombard, A.J., Frey, H.V., Golombek, M.P., Hauck, S.A., II, Head, J.W., III, Jakosky, B.M., Johnson, C.L., McGovern, P.J., Neumann, G.A., Phillips, R.J., Smith, D.E., and Zuber, M.T. (2005) New perspectives on ancient Mars. Science 307:1214-1220.
61. Squyres, S.W., Knoll, A.H., Arvidson, R.E., Clark, B.C., Grotzinger, J.P., Jolliff, B.L., McLennan, S.M., Tosca, N., Bell, J.F., III, Calvin, W.M., Farrand, W.H., Glotch, T.D., Golombek, M.P., Herkenhoff, K.E., Johnson, J.R., Klingelhöfer, G., McSween, H.Y., and Yen, A.S. (2006) Two years at Meridiani Planum: results from the Opportunity rover. Science 313:1403-1407.
62. Squyres, S.W., Knoll, A.H., Arvidson, R.E., Ashley, J.W., Bell, J.F., III, Calvin, W.M., Christensen, P.R., Clark, B.C., Cohen, B.A., de Souza, P.A., Jr., Edgar, L., Farrand, W.H., Fleischer, I., Gellert, R., Golombek, M.P., Grant, J., Grotzinger, J., Hayes, A., Herkenhoff, K.E., Johnson, J.R., Jolliff, B., Klingelhöfer, G., Knudson, A., Li, R., McCoy, T.J., McLennan, S.M., Ming, D.W., Mittlefehldt, D.W., Morris, R.V., Rice, J.W., Jr., Schrö-der, C., Sullivan, R.J., Yen, A., and Yingst, R.A. (2009) Exploration of Victoria Crater by the Mars Rover Opportunity. Science 324:1058-1061.
63. Theng, B. (1974) The Chemistry of Clay-Organic Reactions, Halsted Press, New York.
64. Tosca, N. and Knoll, A. (2009) Juvenile chemical sediments and the long term persistence of water at the surface of Mars. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 286:379-386.
65. Watson, E.B. and Harrison, T.M. (2005) Zircon thermometer reveals minimum melting conditions on earliest Earth. Science 308:841-844.
66. Wiens, R.C., Clegg, S., Barefield, J., Vaniman, D.T., Lanza, N.L., Newsom, H.E., Herkenhoff, K., Bridges, N.T., Blaney, D., Maurice, S., Gasnault, O., Blank, J.G., Dyar, M.D., Milliken, R.E., Grotzinger, J., Crisp, J., and the ChemCam and MSL Teams. (2008) ChemCam remote analyses and imaging on the Mars Science Laboratory 2007 "slow motion" field test [abstract 1500]. In 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
67. Westall, F. (2008) Morphologic biosignatures in early terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials. Space Sci. Rev. 135:95-114.
68. Wilde, S., Valley, J., Peck, W., and Graham, C. (2001) Evidence from detrital zircons for the existence of continental crust and oceans on the Earth 4.4 Gyr ago. Nature 409:175-178.
69. Wiseman, S.M., Arvidson, R.E., Andrews-Hanna, J.C., Clark, R.N., Lanza, N.L., Des Marais, D., Marzo, G.A., Morris, R.V., Murchie, S.L., Newsom, H.E., Noe Dobrea, E.Z., Ollila, A.M., Poulet, F., Roush, T.L., Seelos, F.P., and Swayze, G.A.. (2008) Phyllosilicate and sulfate-hematite deposits within Miyamoto crater in southern Sinus Meridiani, Mars. Geophys. Res. Lett. 35:1-5.
70. Wray, J.J., Ehlmann, B.L., Squyres, S.W., Mustard, J.F., and Kirk, R.L. (2008) Compositional stratigraphy of clay-bearing layered deposits at Mawrth Vallis, Mars. Geophys. Res. Lett. 35:1-6.
71. Wray, J.J., Squyres, S.W., Roach, L.H., Bishop, J.L., Mustard, J.F., and Noe Dobrea, E.Z. (2010) Identification of the Ca-sulfate bassanite in Mawrth Vallis, Mars. Icarus 209:416-421.