Overview of Recent Results from Opportunity's Investigation of Endeavour Crater and Perseverance Valley
Abstract
The Opportunity rover is exploring the rim of Endeavour crater, a 22-km diameter, heavily degraded impact crater. Endeavour is Noachian in age and its rim exposes some of the oldest rocks visited to date by any Martian rover or lander. Opportunity's investigation at Endeavour has provided a chance to observe evidence of the erosional and aqueous processes that are associated with the formation and modification of a large, ancient impact crater on another planetary body.
Opportunity is now exploring a shallow channel along the interior of Endeavour's rim named Perseverance valley. The rover is systematically collecting geomorphic and geochemical data to test hypotheses about how this feature formed. Orbital data initially suggested Perseverance valley could have formed by dry avalanching, a debris flow, or fluvial activity. Dry avalanching is not favored due to the low ( 15 deg) gradient of the channel. Opportunity has not yet found unequivocal evidence to favor either of the other two initial hypotheses over the other. However, the rover has documented evidence of large radial fractures and eolian processes shaping the modern-day landscape, suggesting eolian erosion of a radial fracture is also a plausible hypothesis for valley formation. The eroded floor of Perseverance valley also exposes an unexpectedly diverse array of rocks with chemistries and textures unique from anything seen elsewhere along the rim of Endeavour. Opportunity is investigating these rocks to determine their provenance and relationship with previously studied geologic units. A global dust storm began near Opportunity around sol 5105. By sol 5111, atmospheric opacity had jumped above 10. Due to the large amount of dust in the atmosphere, Opportunity was unable to generate sufficient power, and probably dropped into a lower power fault, losing contact with Earth. As of sol 5152, the team is still waiting for clear skies and the opportunity to attempt to re-establish communications. Government sponsorship acknowledged.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFM.P53F3016F
- Keywords:
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- 6099 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: COMETS AND SMALL BODIESDE: 5799 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: FLUID PLANETSDE: 6299 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTSDE: 5499 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS