West Candor Chasma MSL Landing site

1
West Candor Chasma MSL Landing site

• N. Mangold, J.P. Bibring, A. Gendrin,
• C. Quantin, F. Poulet, J. Mustard, S. Pelkey,
• and OMEGA team HRSC team

2
OMEGA detects two types of hydrated minerals

• Phyllosilicates
• Noachian age, involves neutral pH, etc
• Solve questions such as very primitive conditions
• See JP Bibring and J. Mustard talk this afternoon
• 2. Sulfates
• Later episodes, more acidic environments, etc.
• Solve questions such as origin of sulfur,
• the stability of liquid water at the surface,
• Hesperian age conditions, etc.

3
Kieserite Polyhydrated sulfates Gypsum Polyhydrate
d sulfates others
Exemple in Capri Chasma
Uptodate sulfates detection with OMEGA (map by
Aline Gendrin)
Detection of sulfates on light toned Interior
Layered Deposits (ILD) (Gendrin et al., 2005)
MOC
4

• Scientific interest of sulfates in Valles
  Marineris
• Valles Marineris is a natural cross section into
  Mars rocks
• Lot of outcrops over km thick units
• More diversity and relationships with lava flows
  of the flanks
• (and origin of sulfur?)
• Valles Marineris is a
• unique landscape on Mars
• with spectacular views

HRSC/MEX
5

• The two types of sulfates are only the visible
  part of the iceberg
• Other minerals hidden behind (iron oxides)
• - Sulfates as an indicator of liquid water
  related processes

Kieserite
Iron oxides
(Gendrin et al., LPSC 2006)
6

• Where to go in Valles Marineris?
•  Go to  sites
• Many many sites
• are possible,
• but bad trafficability
• because sand dunes

Example in Ganges Chasma, Juventae etc
2.  Direct site on sulfate rich layered
deposits 

• Do not need to cross 10 km before

7

• Why West Candor Chasma?
• Extended area with sulfates on Mars
• Extended area of layered deposits outcrops over
  6 km thick

MOC
8
Red kieserite from 2.1 mm Greenpolyhydrated
sulfates from 1.9 mm
Band depth 2-5
10 km
9
10 km
10
10 km
11
Most sulfates signatures are on scarps.
10 km
12
20 km
MOLA 2000m slopes gt5 gt small pieces of
sulfates remaining
13
1st site coord (545S 7550W)
20 km circle
MOCs over HRSC
14
1st site coord (545S 7550W)
20 km circle
MOCs over HRSC
15
HRSC DEM
50m50m30m
3 slope
20 km
16
MOC over HRSC
17
3D HRSC view
Site 2
Site 1
EV2x
18
Site 2 617 7645
20 km
Geologically interesting Butrough and
irregular
19
Site 3 517 7653
20 km

• Close to wallslopes
• Stratigraphic relationships
• Role of fluid in lavas?

But also rough areas
20
Conclusions Landing in West Candor seems
possible Especially here  545S 7547W , to
study in detail
Other sites with landing on layered
terrains See Quantin et al. next in Melas
Chasma This afternoon Eastern Terra Meridiani
21
Go to sites?
10 km
MOLA 2000m slopes gt5 gt small pieces of
sulfates remaining
22
10 km
Same with pyroxene in blue
23
1
2
10 km
Same with pyroxene in blue
24
Kieserite (MgSO4.H2O)
Polyhydrated sulfates (could be epsomite, etc.)
Where to land? gt If possible on sulfate rich
layers gt Look at topography and slopes
Library
Spectra ratio
OMEGA spectrum
Reference
1.9 2.4 mm
2.1 2.4 mm