Title |
In Situ Evidence for an Ancient Aqueous Environment at Meridiani Planum, Mars
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Published in |
Science, December 2004
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DOI | 10.1126/science.1104559 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
S. W. Squyres, J. P. Grotzinger, R. E. Arvidson, J. F. Bell, W. Calvin, P. R. Christensen, B. C. Clark, J. A. Crisp, W. H. Farrand, K. E. Herkenhoff, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhöfer, A. H. Knoll, S. M. McLennan, H. Y. McSween, R. V. Morris, J. W. Rice, R. Rieder, L. A. Soderblom |
Abstract |
Sedimentary rocks at Eagle crater in Meridiani Planum are composed of fine-grained siliciclastic materials derived from weathering of basaltic rocks, sulfate minerals (including magnesium sulfate and jarosite) that constitute several tens of percent of the rock by weight, and hematite. Cross-stratification observed in rock outcrops indicates eolian and aqueous transport. Diagenetic features include hematite-rich concretions and crystal-mold vugs. We interpret the rocks to be a mixture of chemical and siliciclastic sediments with a complex diagenetic history. The environmental conditions that they record include episodic inundation by shallow surface water, evaporation, and desiccation. The geologic record at Meridiani Planum suggests that conditions were suitable for biological activity for a period of time in martian history. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Unknown | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United States | 4 | 1% |
Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
Sweden | 1 | <1% |
Spain | 1 | <1% |
Thailand | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 346 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Ph. D. Student | 99 | 28% |
Researcher | 59 | 17% |
Student > Bachelor | 37 | 10% |
Student > Master | 37 | 10% |
Professor > Associate Professor | 20 | 6% |
Other | 48 | 14% |
Unknown | 55 | 15% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
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Earth and Planetary Sciences | 157 | 44% |
Physics and Astronomy | 45 | 13% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 23 | 6% |
Chemistry | 13 | 4% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 11 | 3% |
Other | 38 | 11% |
Unknown | 68 | 19% |