Ancient Impact and Aqueous Processes at Endeavour Crater, Mars

Martian Veins After more than 7 years of traveling across the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, the Mars Exploration rover Opportunity reached the Endeavour Crater, a 22-km-impact crater made of materials older than those previously investigated by the rover. Squyres et al. (p. 570) present a comprehensive analysis of the rim of this crater. Localized zinc enrichments that provide evidence for hydrothermal alteration and gypsum-rich veins that were precipitated from liquid water at a relatively low temperature provide a compelling case for aqueous alteration processes in this area at ancient times. Analysis of data from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity provides evidence for past water flow near an ancient crater. The rover Opportunity has investigated the rim of Endeavour Crater, a large ancient impact crater on Mars. Basaltic breccias produced by the impact form the rim deposits, with stratigraphy similar to that observed at similar-sized craters on Earth. Highly localized zinc enrichments in some breccia materials suggest hydrothermal alteration of rim deposits. Gypsum-rich veins cut sedimentary rocks adjacent to the crater rim. The gypsum was precipitated from low-temperature aqueous fluids flowing upward from the ancient materials of the rim, leading temporarily to potentially habitable conditions and providing some of the waters involved in formation of the ubiquitous sulfate-rich sandstones of the Meridiani region.

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