Publication Date:
2019-07-20
Description:
Since the beginning of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, Vera Rubin Ridge (VRR) has been a location of interest to the MSL science team because of its apparent erosional resistance and strong near-IR (~860 nm) absorption feature seen from orbit in the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission's Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) data. The strong CRISM absorption feature along VRR was hypothesized to be primarily associated with an increased abundance of crystal-line hematite compared to lower Mt. Sharp units. How-ever, surface multispectral and mineralogic data, from the Mastcam and CheMin instruments onboard the Curiosity rover, suggest hematite is not the only mineral contributing to the near-IR absorption feature measured in VRR or the reason for its relative hardness.
Keywords:
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration
Type:
JSC-E-DAA-TN66066
,
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference; Mar 18, 2019 - Mar 22, 2019; Woodlands, TX; United States
Format:
application/pdf
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