Exploration of Victoria crater by the Mars rover Opportunity.
The Mars rover Opportunity has explored Victoria crater, an approximately 750-meter eroded impact crater formed in sulfate-rich sedimentary rocks. Impact-related stratigraphy is preserved in the crater walls, and meteoritic debris is present near the crater rim. The size of hematite-rich concretions decreases up-section, documenting variation in the intensity of groundwater processes. Layering in the crater walls preserves evidence of ancient wind-blown dunes. Compositional variations with depth mimic those approximately 6 kilometers to the north and demonstrate that water-induced alteration at Meridiani Planum was regional in scope.
Squyres
S W
SW
Department of Astronomy, Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. squyres@astro.cornell.edu
Knoll
A H
AH
Arvidson
R E
RE
Ashley
J W
JW
Bell
J F
JF
Calvin
W M
WM
Christensen
P R
PR
Clark
B C
BC
Cohen
B A
BA
de Souza
P A
PA
Edgar
L
L
Farrand
W H
WH
Fleischer
I
I
Gellert
R
R
Golombek
M P
MP
Grant
J
J
Grotzinger
J
J
Hayes
A
A
Herkenhoff
K E
KE
Johnson
J R
JR
Jolliff
B
B
Klingelhöfer
G
G
Knudson
A
A
Li
R
R
McCoy
T J
TJ
McLennan
S M
SM
Ming
D W
DW
Mittlefehldt
D W
DW
Morris
R V
RV
Rice
J W
JW
Schröder
C
C
Sullivan
R J
RJ
Yen
A
A
Yingst
R A
RA
D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D018535:Mars; D018531:Spacecraft; D014867:Water
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D014867:Water; C000499:ferric oxide