title: Exploration of Victoria crater by the Mars rover Opportunity.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. squyres@astro.cornell.edu
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Squyres
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Knoll
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Arvidson
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Calvin
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edgar
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Farrand
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gellert
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Golombek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grotzinger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Herkenhoff
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jolliff
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klingelhöfer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knudson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: McLennan
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Mittlefehldt
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yingst
mesh_terms: D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D018535:Mars; D018531:Spacecraft; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D014867:Water; C000499:ferric oxide