Geomorphology of Cape York and Solander Point, Examining Opportunity's destination at Endeavour Crater Options

[Stu]

Everyone, say hello to Cape York... in colour...



Larger version on my blog: http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2010/...-york-in-colour

[bgarlick]

While we are waiting to see Cape York, some Geology questions...

Cape York is lower than our present position (if it wasn't we would already see the peaks of Cape York above the horizon).

So... Will Cape York be covered in sulfate deposits and blueberries?

If 'Yes', then how come Cape York looks so distinctive from orbit with clear boundaries to the plains of Meridiani? If it was covered in sulfates and berries like everywhere else CY should appear as just a nondescript smooth bump.

if 'No', then how can you have Cape York be free of sulfates and berries if it is lower elevation than our current location? If Meridiani was created by a pool of evaporating water, then CY should have even more deposits on it than we see where we are now since it is at a lower elevation. Basically, how can you have an 'island' that is below the sea bed!? Presumably CY has not subsided... Note that from space CY shows different materials (such as clays) which implies that it may not be covered with sulfates and blueberries.

I am not sure what the answer is to this dilema. Does anyone have an explanation? One thought I had off the top of my head was that the sulfate deposits are from groundwater seepage (as has been proposed) with a geology sequence something like..

1) Endevour impact
2) vast deposits of basaltic sands introduced (which we see are underneath the thin sulfate deposits here)
3) sand gets blown around and out of Endevour crater so that around the rim there are sand deposts that are higher than the actual Endevour impact crater rim (ie higher than CY)
4) sand is also blown off CY or never even accumulated on it
5) water seepage comes to the surface, depositing sulfates, but water does not seep 'up' CY because it is too far for water to seep upwards and/or because it is made of impermiable rock instead of basaltic sands
6) water seep stops, sulfates erode leaving blueberry lag depost (except on CY )

So, I think it will be very interesting to see if CY has blueberries/sulfates on it or not....

Thoughts?

-Ben-