Geomorphology of Gale Crater, Rock on! Options

[ngunn]

I'd like a discussion thread about the geology detatched from the time limits of current MSL threads. We had a 'Geomorphology of Cape York' thread that attracted a lot of interesting posts. How about 'Geomorphology of Gale Crater'? I have one or two ideas but many more questions, and I'd like to post them in a longer-running thread away from the day to day imaging discussion. Any other takers?

For starters, does anybody have a contour map of this place like the one at Meridiani with 5m intervals?


ADMIN: You have your wishes fulfilled on UMSF (sometimes)

[Eyesonmars]

Also note that Curiosity is sitting on or very near the lowest spot on the planet (outside of Hellas).
How did it get that way ? There are far larger craters along the global dichotomy. I suspect that the uniqueness of Mt. Sharp and the fact that it is immediately adjacent to this global low spot ... is not a coincidence

[atomoid]

Also note that Curiosity is sitting on or very near the lowest spot on the planet (outside of Hellas). ...

i'd always thought Hellas was an ancient ancient impact resulting in a sort of unsuspecting ocean basin much later, though i don't know if theres much evidence of that.
Makes me wonder on how much Gale's similarly lower elevation affected atmospheric pressure back during that thicker warmer atmosphere? im curious what models might suggest as far as atmospheric pressure at Gale vs the mean elevation during that time and if it makes sense to expect that to have much impact on making a Gale lake more habitable.
Or the processional inclination at the time might have kept the Gale interior iced over with Vostok-style lake beneath but probably heated by plenty of geothermal activity. how much glaciation and erosion of the crater walls would be expected under that scenario and if extensive, could evidence of that type have been erased by now.
ok, too many stray hairs, i wont even get started on Mt Sharp, its all too enigmatic..

[dvandorn]

i'd always thought Hellas was an ancient ancient impact resulting in a sort of unsuspecting ocean basin much later, though i don't know if theres much evidence of that.

I used to think along those lines, too. But the orbiters (especially Odyssey) have seen almost no indication of hydrogen in Hellas -- i.e., no indication of subsurface ice or even strongly hydrated materials.

Instead of harboring water in the past, these results tend to indicate that Hellas has never seen much water at all. I think that's likely why it has never been considered as an attractive landing site, even though it is such a low spot that the atmospheric pressure there is higher at the surface than just about anywhere else on Mars.

Hellas would be a wonderful landing site if you're looking to examine Martian mantle materials, because it is certainly deep enough to have exhumed mantle rocks. Geologically speaking, it's very attractive. But since the main interest in Mars is (and, I think, always has been) the investigation of water, habitability and life, the geologic questions that drove the exploration and analysis of the Moon are taking a back seat to the water- and life-seekers when it comes to Mars.

-the other Doug

[Guest_fthurber_*]

Instead of harboring water in the past, these results tend to indicate that Hellas has never seen much water at all. I think that's likely why it has never been considered as an attractive landing site, even though it is such a low spot that the atmospheric pressure there is higher at the surface than just about anywhere else on Mars.

Hi Doug

Was Hellas was thought to have some glacial formations? Maybe the ice is covered so deep by rock debris and dust that it cannot be picked up by the spectrometer. However my source is Wikipedia so that may be wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellas_Planit...sible_glaciers/ Supposedly MROs radar sounder saw it.