T14 Perseverance at Jezero Crater—Characterizing an Ancient Crater Lake Basin on Mars

Sunday, 10 October 2021
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Portland Ballroom 256 (Hybrid Room)

LINKING MASTCAM-Z MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING FROM THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER TO ORBITAL GEOLOGY IN JEZERO CRATER: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE CRATER FLOOR

Paper number: T14-13
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM

Authors

Abstract

Jezero crater exhibits significant spectral diversity in orbital short wave-infrared (SWIR; 1000-2600 nm) images, including a variety of primary minerals, carbonates, silica, and phyllosilicates. These minerals are detected in the crater rim, delta, marginal deposits, and crater floor, and have been variously interpreted as indicating fluvial or aeolian sediments, tephra, lake precipitates, and lavas. In this study, we link interpretations of depositional processes from Perseverance rover data to regional mineral detections, which is critical for placing returned samples in context, establishing sediment provenance, and informing rover strategic path planning.

The Mastcam-Z cameras on Perseverance have acquired spectacular images of the landing site in Jezero, in standard color and through 14 multispectral filters in the visible/near-infrared (VNIR; 440-1100 nm), both in 3D from stereo images. Here we compare spectral diversity observed by Mastcam-Z in the vicinity of the rover and in long-distance observations to orbital spectra from the CRISM imaging spectrometer as well as HiRISE images and DTMs.

We find that the orbital spectra can be tied to specific rock and regolith units in Jezero, but that additional spectral diversity is present at outcrop scales. Deltaic deposits exhibit spectral diversity that corresponds to sedimentological facies, suggesting variations in sediment sources, grain size sorting, or post-depositional alteration. Crater floor units encountered by Perseverance so far are consistent with clastic rocks, and based on spectral similarities to the Jezero rim and delta, we hypothesize that some crater floor units are sourced from fluvial or aeolian erosion of these areas, potentially representing the last phase of sedimentation in Jezero. However, we are also evaluating other origin scenarios, for example, volcanic tephra deposited directly into the crater or reworked by aeolian or fluviolacstrine processes, which would be a valuable sampling target for geochronology.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 53, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2021AM-368809

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