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Geology of the InSight landing site on Mars

Author

Listed:
  • M. Golombek

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • N. H. Warner

    (SUNY Geneseo, Department of Geological Sciences)

  • J. A. Grant

    (Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum)

  • E. Hauber

    (DLR, Institute of Planetary Research)

  • V. Ansan

    (Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, CNRS URM6112, Université de Nantes)

  • C. M. Weitz

    (Planetary Science Institute)

  • N. Williams

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • C. Charalambous

    (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College, South Kensington Campus)

  • S. A. Wilson

    (Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum)

  • A. DeMott

    (SUNY Geneseo, Department of Geological Sciences)

  • M. Kopp

    (SUNY Geneseo, Department of Geological Sciences)

  • H. Lethcoe-Wilson

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • L. Berger

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • R. Hausmann

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • E. Marteau

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • C. Vrettos

    (Technical University of Kaiserslautern)

  • A. Trussell

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • W. Folkner

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • S. Maistre

    (Royal Observatory of Belgium)

  • N. Mueller

    (DLR, Institute of Planetary Research)

  • M. Grott

    (DLR, Institute of Planetary Research)

  • T. Spohn

    (DLR, Institute of Planetary Research)

  • S. Piqueux

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • E. Millour

    (Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Normale Supérieure, École Polytechnique)

  • F. Forget

    (Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Normale Supérieure, École Polytechnique)

  • I. Daubar

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • N. Murdoch

    (Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace (ISAE-SUPAERO), Université de Toulouse)

  • P. Lognonné

    (Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS)

  • C. Perrin

    (Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS)

  • S. Rodriguez

    (Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS)

  • W. T. Pike

    (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College, South Kensington Campus)

  • T. Parker

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • J. Maki

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • H. Abarca

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • R. Deen

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • J. Hall

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • P. Andres

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • N. Ruoff

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • F. Calef

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • S. Smrekar

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • M. M. Baker

    (Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
    Johns Hopkins University, 301 Olin Hall)

  • M. Banks

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • A. Spiga

    (Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Normale Supérieure, École Polytechnique
    Institut Universitaire de France)

  • D. Banfield

    (Cornell University)

  • J. Garvin

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • C. E. Newman

    (Aeolis Research)

  • W. B. Banerdt

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

Abstract

The Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) spacecraft landed successfully on Mars and imaged the surface to characterize the surficial geology. Here we report on the geology and subsurface structure of the landing site to aid in situ geophysical investigations. InSight landed in a degraded impact crater in Elysium Planitia on a smooth sandy, granule- and pebble-rich surface with few rocks. Superposed impact craters are common and eolian bedforms are sparse. During landing, pulsed retrorockets modified the surface to reveal a near surface stratigraphy of surficial dust, over thin unconsolidated sand, underlain by a variable thickness duricrust, with poorly sorted, unconsolidated sand with rocks beneath. Impact, eolian, and mass wasting processes have dominantly modified the surface. Surface observations are consistent with expectations made from remote sensing data prior to landing indicating a surface composed of an impact-fragmented regolith overlying basaltic lava flows.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Golombek & N. H. Warner & J. A. Grant & E. Hauber & V. Ansan & C. M. Weitz & N. Williams & C. Charalambous & S. A. Wilson & A. DeMott & M. Kopp & H. Lethcoe-Wilson & L. Berger & R. Hausmann & E. Ma, 2020. "Geology of the InSight landing site on Mars," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-14679-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14679-1
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