Mineralogy of an Active Eolian Sediment from the Namib Dune, Gale Crater, Mars
- Achilles, C. N.
- Downs, R. T.
- Ming, D. W.
- Rampe, E. B.
- Morris, R. V.
- Treiman, A. H.
- Morrison, S. M.
- Blake, D. F.
- Vaniman, D. T.
- Ewing, R. C.
- Chipera, S. J.
- Yen, A. S.
- Bristow, T. F.
- Ehlmann, B. L.
- Gellert, R.
- Hazen, R. M.
- Fendrich, K. V.
- Craig, P. I.
- Grotzinger, J. P.
- Des Marais, D. J.
- Farmer, J. D.
- Sarrazin, P. C.
- Morookian, J. M.
DOIAbstract
The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, is using a comprehensive scientific payload to explore rocks and soils in Gale crater, Mars. Recent investigations of the Bagnold Dune Field provided the first in situ assessment of an active dune on Mars. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffraction instrument on Curiosity performed quantitative mineralogical analyses of the <150 μm size fraction of the Namib dune at a location called Gobabeb. Gobabeb is dominated by basaltic minerals. Plagioclase, Fo56 olivine, and two Ca-Mg-Fe pyroxenes account for the majority of crystalline phases along with minor magnetite, quartz, hematite, and anhydrite. In addition to the crystalline phases, a minimum ~42 wt % of the Gobabeb sample is X-ray a...
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