Durius Valles Outflow Basin: Proposed Site for MER-A

Details Durius Valles Outflow Basin: Proposed Site for MER-A Durius Valles Outflow Basin: Proposed Site for MER-A

Jan 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001mers.work...55n&link_type=abstract

First Landing Site Workshop for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers, p. 55

Mathematics

Logic

Mars Missions, Landing Sites, Mars Exploration, Roving Vehicles, River Basins, Mineral Deposits, Sediments, Flat Surfaces, Geology, Microorganisms, Water

Scientific paper

The primary goals for future landed Mars missions include: 1) the search for past or present life, and/or evidence of prebiotic chemistry, 2) understanding the planet's volatile and climatic history, and 3) determining the availability and distribution of mineral resources on Mars. Determining the history of water is essential in accomplishing all of these goals. On Earth, microbial fossilization only occurs under specific, circumstances, including entombment by rapid burial of fine-grain sediments and precipitation of dissolved minerals (e.g., carbonates, etc.). Therefore, in addition to targeting sites where liquid water might have been present, the next step is to locate paleoenvironments that were most favorable for the capture and preservation of fossil biosignatures. Astrobiologically important sites on Mars are: hydrothermal, lacustrine, and "grab-bag" (e.g., a locale that had a variety of geologic processes acting upon it). An emphasis on lander safety and surface accessibility is also vital in landing site selection. Surfaces must have little accumulation of dust and yet be relatively smooth with a low degree of rock abundance. The landing ellipse must lie on a flat surface, eliminating areas with irregular or heavily cratered surfaces. Visiting sites where natural geological processes (e.g., outfloods, impacts, etc.) have transported a variety of materials to a single site is vital. The aim in site selection is to ensure access to a variety of aqueous deposits of differing ages.

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