Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/17156
Appears in Collections:Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Opportunity Mars Rover mission: Overview and selected results from Purgatory ripple to traverses to Endeavour crater
Author(s): Arvidson, Raymond E
Ashley, James W
Bell III, James F
Chojnacki, Matthew
Cohen, Joanna
Economou, Thanasis E Tom
Farrand, William H
Fergason, Robin L
Fleischer, Iris
Geissler, Paul
Gellert, Ralf
Golombek, Matthew
Grotzinger, John P
Guinness, Edward A
Schröder, Christian
Contact Email: christian.schroeder@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Mars Exploration Rover
MER
Opportunity
Issue Date: 8-Feb-2011
Date Deposited: 28-Oct-2013
Citation: Arvidson RE, Ashley JW, Bell III JF, Chojnacki M, Cohen J, Economou TET, Farrand WH, Fergason RL, Fleischer I, Geissler P, Gellert R, Golombek M, Grotzinger JP, Guinness EA & Schröder C (2011) Opportunity Mars Rover mission: Overview and selected results from Purgatory ripple to traverses to Endeavour crater. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 116 (E7), Art. No.: E00F15. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JE003746
Abstract: Opportunity has been traversing the Meridiani plains since 25 January 2004 (sol 1), acquiring numerous observations of the atmosphere, soils, and rocks. This paper provides an overview of key discoveries between sols 511 and 2300, complementing earlier papers covering results from the initial phases of the mission. Key new results include (1) atmospheric argon measurements that demonstrate the importance of atmospheric transport to and from the winter carbon dioxide polar ice caps; (2) observations showing that aeolian ripples covering the plains were generated by easterly winds during an epoch with enhanced Hadley cell circulation; (3) the discovery and characterization of cobbles and boulders that include iron and stony‐iron meteorites and Martian impact ejecta; (4) measurements of wall rock strata within Erebus and Victoria craters that provide compelling evidence of formation by aeolian sand deposition, with local reworking within ephemeral lakes; (5) determination that the stratigraphy exposed in the walls of Victoria and Endurance craters show an enrichment of chlorine and depletion of magnesium and sulfur with increasing depth. This result implies that regional‐scale aqueous alteration took place before formation of these craters. Most recently, Opportunity has been traversing toward the ancient Endeavour crater. Orbital data show that clay minerals are exposed on its rim. Hydrated sulfate minerals are exposed in plains rocks adjacent to the rim, unlike the surfaces of plains outcrops observed thus far by Opportunity. With continued mechanical health, Opportunity will reach terrains on and around Endeavour’s rim that will be markedly different from anything examined to date.
DOI Link: 10.1029/2010JE003746
Rights: Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union. AGU allows authors to deposit their journal articles if the version is the final published citable version of record, the AGU copyright statement is clearly visible on the posting, and the posting is made 6 months after official publication by the AGU.
Notes: Additional co-authors: RM Haberle, KE Herkenhoff, JA Herman, KD Iagnemma, BL Jolliff, JR Johnson, G Klingelhöfer, AH Knoll, AT Knudson, R Li, SM McLennan, DW Mittlefehldt, RV Morris, TJ Parker, MS Rice, LA Soderblom, SW Squyres, RJ Sullivan, MJ Wolff

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