Fluidized-sediment pipes in Gale crater, Mars, and possible Earth analogs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fluidized-sediment pipes in Gale crater, Mars, and possible Earth analogs

AU - Rubin, David M.

AU - Fairén, A.g.

AU - Martínez-frías, J.

AU - Frydenvang, Jens

AU - Gasnault, O.

AU - Gelfenbaum, G.

AU - Goetz, Walter

AU - Grotzinger, J.P.

AU - Le Mouélic, Stéphane

AU - Mangold, Nicolas

AU - Newsom, Horton E.

AU - Oehler, D.z.

AU - Rapin, W.

AU - Schieber, J.

AU - Wiens, R. C.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Since landing in Gale crater, the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity has traversed fluvial, lacustrine, and eolian sedimentary rocks that were deposited within the crater ~3.6 to 3.2 b.y. ago. Here we describe structures interpreted to be pipes formed by vertical movement of fluidized sediment. Like many pipes on Earth, those in Gale crater are more resistant to erosion than the host rock; they form near other pipes, dikes, or deformed sediment; and some contain internal concentric or eccentric layering. These structures provide new evidence of the importance of subsurface aqueous processes in shaping the near-surface geology of Mars.

AB - Since landing in Gale crater, the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity has traversed fluvial, lacustrine, and eolian sedimentary rocks that were deposited within the crater ~3.6 to 3.2 b.y. ago. Here we describe structures interpreted to be pipes formed by vertical movement of fluidized sediment. Like many pipes on Earth, those in Gale crater are more resistant to erosion than the host rock; they form near other pipes, dikes, or deformed sediment; and some contain internal concentric or eccentric layering. These structures provide new evidence of the importance of subsurface aqueous processes in shaping the near-surface geology of Mars.

U2 - 10.1130/G38339.1

DO - 10.1130/G38339.1

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0091-7613

VL - 45

SP - 7

EP - 10

JO - Geology

JF - Geology

IS - 1

ER -