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Association of phyllosilicates and the inverted channel in Miyamoto crater, Mars
Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Institute for Geosciences, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
The western floor of the Miyamoto crater in Sinus Meridiani on Mars exhibits both geomorphic and spectral evidence for aqueous history. It contains a sinuous and narrow ridge that is interpreted to be an inverted channel and is suggestive of past fluvial activity. Phyllosilicates occur in materials that are proximal to the paleochannel, but are not detected on top the ridge. The simultaneous use of the spectroscopic data, high-resolution images, and a digital elevation model show that Fe/Mg-smectites are exposed by erosion. They are associated with polygonally-fractured bedrock which occurs on the slopes of both sides of the sinuous ridge. The observations provide direct evidence of the presence of water and possibly of multiple aqueous events throughout the area.
Received 14 April 2009; accepted 18 May 2009; published 13 June 2009.
Citation: (2009), Association of phyllosilicates and the inverted channel in Miyamoto crater, Mars, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L11204, doi:10.1029/2009GL038703.
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