Publication Date:
2004-08-07
Description:
The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Spirit has studied the mineralogy and thermophysical properties at Gusev crater. Undisturbed soil spectra show evidence for minor carbonates and bound water. Rocks are olivinerich basalts with varying degrees of dust and other coatings. Dark-toned soils observed on disturbed surfaces may be derived from rocks and have derived mineralogy (+/-5 to 10%) of 45% pyroxene (20% Ca-rich pyroxene and 25% pigeonite), 40% sodic to intermediate plagioclase, and 15% olivine (forsterite 45% +/-5 to 10). Two spectrally distinct coatings are observed on rocks, a possible indicator of the interaction of water, rock, and airfall dust. Diurnal temperature data indicate particle sizes from 40 to 80 microm in hollows to approximately 0.5 to 3 mm in soils.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Christensen, P R -- Ruff, S W -- Fergason, R L -- Knudson, A T -- Anwar, S -- Arvidson, R E -- Bandfield, J L -- Blaney, D L -- Budney, C -- Calvin, W M -- Glotch, T D -- Golombek, M P -- Gorelick, N -- Graff, T G -- Hamilton, V E -- Hayes, A -- Johnson, J R -- McSween, H Y Jr -- Mehall, G L -- Mehall, L K -- Moersch, J E -- Morris, R V -- Rogers, A D -- Smith, M D -- Squyres, S W -- Wolff, M J -- Wyatt, M B -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2004 Aug 6;305(5685):837-42.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. phil.christensen@asu.edu〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15297667" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Carbonates
;
Geologic Sediments
;
Interferometry
;
Iron Compounds
;
Magnesium Compounds
;
*Mars
;
*Minerals
;
Oxides
;
Silicates
;
Spectrum Analysis
;
Temperature
;
Water
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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